Late last week, four outstanding high school students courageously took to the stage to share their stories, aspirations, and resiliency at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley’s Youth of the Year celebration. The Club selected Alara Rajek as the 2024-25 Youth of the Year winner at this event.
More About Youth of the Year
Youth of the Year is a premier recognition program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley that celebrates the extraordinary achievements of youth served by the Club. Candidates for Youth of the Year are selected based on their values of leadership, service, academic performance, and healthy lifestyles. This year’s event took place at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center on the evening of Thursday, November 7, 2024.
The Youth of the Year process involves a written application with essays, speech and interviews with the Youth of the Year judges, and a final delivery of their speech at the event. Candidates share their stories, vision for America’s youth, and how Club experiences and programs have empowered them to find their voice and achieve success through mentorship and guidance with caring adults.
Learn More & View Event PhotosMeet Alara – Youth of the Year Winner
Alara, a senior at Appleton East High School, has been involved with the Club’s STAR initiative for the past four years. This charismatic, caring youth has challenged herself and served as a passionate advocate for mental health awareness.
Alara, who lives by a personal quote: “If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” bravely spoke about the obstacles that she’s faced in her life during her Youth of the Year speech. She talked about how those experiences taught her empathy, resilience, and the importance of creating a nurturing environment for herself and others around her. She shares, “That is why I’m so passionate about mental health awareness and why more attention should be brought to youth who are struggling. For the longest time, it felt like I was going through my struggle alone, and I don’t want anyone else to feel the way that I did.”
Alara also enjoys volunteering with Girls on the Run and a youth mentorship program called Juntos, where she supports others in ways that have an impact. Alara aspires to become a radiology technologist.
“During my freshman year of high school, I joined a program called STAR. STAR’s unwavering support has guided me through challenges, celebrated my achievements, given me the confidence to pursue my goals, and inspired me to support others.” STAR, which stands for Scholars on Target to Achieve Results, is a targeted support program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley, which seeks to build equitable educational opportunities for middle and high school Black Scholars in the Fox Cities. STAR support staff work within schools to support the needs of scholars through goal setting, leadership development, academic support, life skill building, and post-graduation planning. They also work to build connections with school staff to help meet each youth’s needs.
As Youth of the Year, Alara shares, “I will use the platform to further the mission of the Boys & Girls Club and ensure that more young people have the same access to the same support and mentorship that has been vital to my growth and development.”
As the Youth of the Year winner, Alara receives a $1,000 post-secondary educational scholarship, renewable annually for up to four years. She will also have the opportunity to participate in the state Youth of the Year competition in Madison.
Meet Evangelina – Youth of the Year Runner Up
An Appleton North High School sophomore, Evangelina Rattray was selected as this year’s Youth of the Year runner-up. Evangelina has been involved with the Club and STAR for ten years. This action-oriented STAR scholar’s passion for writing and activism has inspired her to change the narrative in the literary world by ensuring more diversity and representation in written stories. Evangelina is the author of two books. She mentors youth, participates in the STAR Scholar Leadership Committee, and volunteers at the Appleton Public Library. She aspires to break into the literary world by one day becoming a New York Times best-selling author.
Thank Yous
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley would like to thank this year’s other finalists, Preston and Nakyra, for their participation and inspiring speeches at this year’s event! This event was made possible by this year’s title sponsors, Amcor and Crane Engineering, and other event sponsors.
