The Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield is pleased to announce Shannon Smith, a senior at Marshfield High School, has been named the 2021 Marshfield Youth of the Year.
According to Jim Bunnell, CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield, “Shannon truly sets an example for others. She has an incredible leadership ability with a capacity for bringing about positive change. It’s a pleasure to honor Shannon as the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield’s Youth of the Year and we wish her every success in the future.”
Each year, the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield, a youth development organization providing programs and services to children and families throughout the greater South Shore community, selects one exceptional Club member as “Youth of the Year” to serve as an ambassador for the Club’s youth as well as a voice for all young people.
Ms. Smith has been a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield since fourth grade. Over the past three years, Ms. Smith has held a number of leadership roles. In June of 2018 she became a Counselor in Training (CIT) learning about childcare from Club staff which included how to handle a variety of different situations. In 2019, she became Club staff with the role of overseeing young club members in the afterschool program and campers in the summer camp program. That same year, Ms. Smith became Keystone Secretary, and organized three key initiatives – a Career Prep, a food drive and a Teen Cram (to help with homework). She was named Keystone President in November of 2020, and among her accomplishments, she organized two successful events for families in the community – an Egg My Yard Easter event and a Kids Night Out.
Outside of the Club, Ms. Smith has received Honors and High Honors for most of her high school career. She has been involved in Irish Step Dance at Dunleavy Boyle Academy in Hanover since she was three years old. She has danced competitively for many years and received a number of awards through competing, which included advancing to two World Championship events. Ms. Smith is a dedicated volunteer, helping around town with Grad Nite Live and arranging food donations. She has also helped with and donated to A Simple Gesture, the local food donation organization.
Ms. Smith will be attending Merrimack College in the fall and majoring in Business/Marketing.
Youth of the Year is the Boys & Girls Club’s signature effort to foster a new generation of leaders, fully prepared to live and lead in a diverse, global and integrated world economy. In the 21st-century world and workplace, leadership skills such as communication, goal-setting and teamwork are essential for everyone, especially young people preparing to meet the challenges of adolescence and adulthood.
The Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield recognizes the efforts and leadership of all of this year’s candidates for Youth of the Year – Shannon Smith, Alyson Kerr, Ava Lane, Victoria Varney and Hayden Brown.
Bunnell continued, “We are grateful for their dedication, passion and efforts, especially this past year during the pandemic.”
“We were very impressed with all the finalists. They should all be proud of themselves and what they have accomplished, and will accomplish,” said Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield board member, John Wilpers, who is the founder of Hot Shots Sports Program for Girls. “Shannon’s story is a powerful testament to the transformative impact the Boys & Girls Club can have on one person, and then the transformative impact that person can have on others. Shannon is the living embodiment of the Boys & Girls Club mission and richly deserves to be named Youth of the Year.”
According to Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield board member Paul Reardon of Investment Advisory Group, LLC, “Every year that I have been involved with the Boys & Girls Club, I’ve been thoroughly impressed with the Youth of the Year winner, and this year is no exception. The Club had a great group of candidates and they are all a great example of the impact the Club is having in the community.”
The Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield would like to thank Mark and Dawn Warsofsky, who are the sponsors of the Youth of the Year program and provide scholarships. For more information about Youth of the Year, visit www.bgcmarshfield.org
About Youth of the Year Program
For more than 70 years, the Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year program has honored and celebrated the nation’s most inspiring teens and their incredible journeys. Stories of outstanding leadership, service, academic excellence and dedication to living a healthy lifestyle have made Youth of the Year America’s premier leadership and recognition program for teens. These amazing young people represent the voice and spirit of hope for America.
Each year, one exceptional Club member is selected to be the Youth of the Year for our Club and they go on to compete for State and National titles. They serve as an ambassador for our Boys & Girls Club’s youth as well as a voice for all of our nation’s young people. Over the decades, these individuals have exemplified the Boys & Girls Club mission and are proof to the impact Clubs make in transforming and saving kids’ lives. National Youth of the Year winners have achieved success in a variety of industries, including entertainment, politics, business and sports.
About the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield
The Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield’s mission is to enable and inspire all young people to realize their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens as well as become tomorrow’s capable leaders. The Club provides programming opportunities in the Boys & Girls Club of America’s (BGCA) five core areas including leadership, education, health, arts, and fitness. The Club serves families with children ranging in age from 5 to 18 years old, and provides critical services the community needs to support children and families over the short- and long-term. For more information, visit their website www.bgcmarshfield.org or call 781-834-2582.
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