Lawrence Youth of the Year Set for Jan. 25
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Liberty Hall stage is set to welcome three Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence candidates for the 2018 Youth of the Year ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 25. Serving as the premier event for more than 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs across the country, the Lawrence edition will feature Hasiya Asuku, Ruth Gathunguri and Christian LaPointe.
The program will begin at 7 p.m. and is free for the public to attend.
Presented for the second year in a row by Peoples Bank, Youth of the Year is widely regarded as an all-time favorite at the Club. The event is a culmination of not only months of hard work by the candidates and their mentors – but also celebrates life-long relationships that kids develop with the Boys & Girls Club. Those who earn the Youth of the Year title embody the values of leadership service, academic excellence and healthy lifestyles. They exemplify the powerful impact that the Boys & Girls Club has on kids in Lawrence.
“There are a lot of exciting things happening at the Boys & Girls Club – Teen Center construction is underway, new program initiatives are being launched in all of our sites and the culture of commitment to our mission and values is strong,” said Colby Wilson, BGCLK Executive Director. “Our Youth of the Year candidates are the proof that these efforts are working. Their stories and their future are why we do what we do.”
A panel of judges (Dr. Lon Dehnert, Shade Keys Little, DeBarre Johnson, Chad Lawhorn, Amy Rhoads, Allison Harding, Jeremiah Booker) will spend the afternoon of Jan. 25 interviewing each candidate and finalizing evaluations of each of their essays and short answer questions. When the curtain goes up at 7 p.m., each candidate will be ready to deliver individual speeches to the audience. Voice of the Jayhawks, Brian Hanni, will serve as the emcee for the evening.
The judges will conclude the competition by announcing the winner, who will then represent Lawrence in the state competition. State winners advance to regional competitions; regional winners advance to the National Youth of the Year event.
Hasiya Asuku
The newest member of the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence, Hasiya Asuku, did not attend the Club as an elementary student. The daughter of Bilkisu and Adamu Asuku, Hasiya and her family moved to the United States from Nigeria five years ago. All of her Boys & Girls Club years have been at the Teen Center. A junior at Lawrence High School, Hasiya is a member of the LHS Choir, LINK Crew, National Honors Society, Pre-Med Club and AVID. Although she is undecided on a college, Hasiya is set on her career aspirations of becoming a pediatrician.
Ruth Gathunguri
Back for her second year, Ruth Gathunguri has become a committed member of the Boys & Girls Club Sunset Hill staff since her first appearance as a Lawrence Youth of the Year candidate in 2017. The daughter of Faith Gathunguri and Gilbert Karuga, she went to the Boys & Girls Club Quail Run site in her elementary days. Aside from her employment at the Club, Ruth is a member of the Student Council and ‘Can We Talk?’ as a junior at Free State High School. Ruth has career aspirations in medicine and plans to major in biology. She is looking at Johnson County Community College for her first two years of school before moving on to Pitt State.
Christian LaPointe
A young man of many talents Christian LaPointe is a senior at Free State High School. He just finished his football career for the Firebirds, and is also known for his gifted singing voice. LaPointe is a member of the Free State Chamber Choir and Chamber Singers. He hopes to attend the University of Missouri-Kansas City and major in psychology. LaPointe got his Boys & Girls Club start at the Deerfield Elementary site. He was recently adopted by his aunt and uncle, Shannon and Chris Miller, and is the son of Nancy Lacrosse.
For additional information or to make media arrangements, contact Director of Marketing and Communications Alissa Bauer at abauer@bgclk.org.