Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada honors Youth of the Year, kicks off 25th anniversary

CARSON CITY — The Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada named Mia Liao the 2018 Youth of the Year at its annual awards banquet and kicked off a year of celebration in honor of its 25th anniversary.

Matt Sampson, operations director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada, said Youth of the Year is a program and award designed to recognize teen Club members for their leadership skills, character and dedication to Boys & Girls Clubs programming.

“Mia will now go on to compete at the Nevada State competition in Las Vegas in March, Sampson said. “Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Club member can receive and all of our 2018 candidates deserve to be recognized for their hard work.”

Liao competed with Club members Chyler Beck, Daniel Simon, Natalie Ontiveros, Angel Natividad and Arely Avina on Jan. 25.

“All you need is to show your interior self to the world,” Liao said. “I want kids to know who they are is the most important thing in life and to express themselves no matter what.”

Mark Salinas, director of arts and culture for the Carson City Culture and Tourism Authority and Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada board member, said serving as a judge for Youth of the Year was an absolute honor.

“I hold no reservation in saying that the opportunity to meet these six young adults will always be a highlight when I reflect upon my service to the Club,” Salinas said. “Carson City is blessed to have such youth in our community with such outstanding character and courage.”

Sampson said the six candidates that competed for the local award worked incredibly hard over the past four months to complete their application packets, theme essays and speeches in order to share their stories and unique journeys with the Club.

The following Club members and staff were also honored:

Carson City Art Member of the Year: Nevaeh Kaylor
Carson City Athletics Member of the Year: Zachary Carpenter
Carson City Bordewich Bray Site Member of the Year: Ruby Vargas
Carson City Education Member of the Year: Kyra Baumgardner
Carson City Empire Site Member of the Year: Elijah Presswood
Carson City Employee of the Year: Brianna Alvarado
Carson City Games Room Member of the Year: Jaleesia Vaughan
Carson City Learning Center Member of the Year: Alverto Roque
Carson City Mark Twain Site Member of the Year: Francisco Miramontes
Carson City Tech Center Member of the Year: Levi Kay-Ladiges
Carson City Teen Member of the Year: Brett Annabel
Carson Valley Art Member of the Year: Ernesto Padilla
Carson Valley Athletics Member of the Year: Brent Faiss
Carson Valley Games Room Member of the Year: Amilia Ashton-Canales
Carson Valley Site Employee of the Year: Eamon Webb
Carson Valley Site Female Member of the Year: Jackelyn Orozco
Carson Valley Site Male Member of the Year: Blake Faiss
Carson Valley Teen Member of the Year: Jackelyn Orozco

The following community partners were recognized:

Dennis Frezzo and Lori Ohmenzetter
Dan and Lois Wray

The Jeremiah Millbank Society recognized individuals who gave unrestricted gifts of $10,000 or more in 2017. Honorees included:

Hop & Mae Adams Foundation
Carson City Toyota
Davis Chase Charitable Foundation
Mr. Ed Clark
E.L. Cord Foundation
Mr. Dennis Frezzo & Mrs. Lori Ohmenzetter
Mr. Mike Pegram
Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Hall
Mr. Clarence Holley & Mrs. Vanessa Nowland
Estelle J. Kelsey Foundation
Mr. Donald Kuhl & Mrs. Sherry Newsom
Michael Hohl Honda-Subaru
Mr. John Miller
Robert Z. Hawkins Foundation
Mr. & Mrs. Ray Robertson
Mrs. Elizabeth Seibold
William N. Pennington Foundation
Mrs. Susan Weitzman
Mr. & Mrs. Dan Wray

The Boys and Girls Clubs also kicked off their 25th anniversary at the awards banquet.

Katie Leao, executive director for the Boys of Girls Clubs of Western Nevada, said the Youth of the Year awards banquet was the perfect time to kick off celebrating 25 years, saying that the Club will weave its silver anniversary into everything they do in 2018.

“It’s amazing to think that the futures of so many Carson City youth started with us,” Leao said. “We have over 400 children coming through our doors daily, and we strive to improve upon our mission each year which is to enable all young people to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring individuals. We are excited for the next 25 years and can’t wait to see the next generation of great futures grow with us.”