Youth of The Year
Presenting our 2024 Youth of the Year, Zyrese!
“Start with a whisper, end with a bang.”
Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland (BGCO) is honored to introduce Zyrese, our 2024 Youth of the Year! As a 3-year member at our Ossian E. Carr Branch in East Oakland, Zyrese is an active participant of our youth development programs and an aspiring leader to his younger peers. Zyrese is a sophomore at Castro Valley High School where he carries 3.84 GPA and outstanding school attendance rate.
Personifying the mission of BGCO, Zyrese represented his Club and community at the Northern California level of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Youth of the Year competition. He received awards for:
Excellence in Mathematics, Academic Success, Athletic Excellence
Academic Excellence for Students with a GPA of 3.5 and higher
Certificate of Recognition by the State Senate & California State Assembly.
As a born leader, Zyrese aspires to give back to his community from his knowledge gained during his time at the Club. He shares, “My experience being at the Club has allowed me to reach a place in my growth to take on a leadership role at the Boys and Girls Clubs.” Zyrese is described as kind, passionate, dedicated, and hardworking among his community and a great role model to his younger peers. Mirroring BGCO’s mission, Zyrese will no doubt excel as a positive contributor to society.
Previous Youth of the Year
Patrick: Youth of the year 2023
Latayza: Youth of the Year 2022
Tyree Tillis: Youth of the year 2021
Bre D. King: Youth of the Year 2020
Yasamine S. Brown: Youth of the Year 2019
Yasamine S. Brown: Youth of the Year 2018
The Youth of the Year program celebrates 14 to 18 year-old student-members’ outstanding contributions to their family, school, community, and their Boys & Girls Club; recognizing their academic excellence, moral character, life goals, poise and public speaking, as well as personal challenges and obstacles they’ve overcome. Historically, Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s five regional winners have been honored at a Congressional Breakfast on Capitol Hill and have a chance to meet the President of the United States in the White House each fall.