Boys & Girls Club Announces Youth of the Year Awardees

Editor's Note: The following article was provided by the Boys & Girls Club. To submit an article for publication, please e-mail laura.dudnick@patch.com.

More than 150 people came together at the Basque Cultural Center in South San Francisco to honor the accomplishments of several remarkable children and youth from Pacifica and South San Francisco on Jan. 22.

Ten members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of North San Mateo County were awarded the title of "Clubhouse Youth of the Year,” while Clarissa Fong, a senior at South San Francisco High School, won the overall “Youth of the Year.” Clarissa will have the opportunity to advance toward the state, regional and national Youth of the Year titles. 

Many local and state elected officials were on hand to issue certificates of achievement to each awardee. Torani was awarded the “Business Partner of the Year” award, too. During the reception, entertainment included the sounds of the El Camino High School Jazz Combo, as well as Ava Crotti, of Ortega Elementary School in Pacifica, performing “Over the Rainbow.”

"Our community came together in a remarkable way to celebrate youth, which is an important part of our mission work – bringing kids, youth, and community together. Our sponsors and donors made it possible for us to keep this event free; guests enjoyed food and beverages from many local businesses, all of which was donated," said Sharon Dolan, Executive Director.

Sponsors included the Basque Cultural Center, Comcast, Kaiser Permanente, Kiwanis Club of South San Francisco, South San Francisco Scavenger Company, Dudley Perkins Company, and Wayne Joseph, D.D.S. Numerous South San Francisco restaurants provided complimentary food dishes, and Torani hosted a soda bar.

For more information please contact Sharon Dolan, Executive Director at the Boys & Girls Clubs of North San Mateo County, at (650) 589-7090 ext. 14 or sdolan@theclubs.org.

About Boys and Girls Clubs
The Boys and Girls Clubs of North San Mateo County serves more than 2,500 children and youth each year at 5 sites in Pacifica and South San Francisco. The Club’s vision is that every child will learn to read by third grade, that every child is physically active each day, and that every child develops a positive sense of self.

The Clubs provide member drop-in programs and activities, including homework support, sports and arts programs, summer camp, and technology centers at two sites. Members at the Clubs receive free healthy snacks daily. Fees charged cover only a small portion of the costs, and the Clubs raise funds to cover the rest of expenses related to programs and services.