Established in 1947, the Youth of the Year Award at Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston recognizes Club members who have shown superior leadership, academic achievement, and service to their respective club community. The annual program builds personal growth and leadership qualities among our young members.
Get to know Gernell, Yawkey Club of Roxbury alumna and 2019 BGCB Youth of the Year:
Gernell describes her Club journey as an “evolution.” She first joined as a shy six-year-old and struggled to find her place. After taking a break for a few years, she returned as a seventh grader determined to take advantage of all the Club had to offer. She decided to join Torch Club, the first stop on her journey through the Club’s leadership pipeline, which allowed her to go on to be a Young Leader, Counselor in Training, Junior Staff, and Keystone member.
She interned through the Summer Internships Initiative and spent two weeks in India with the Explore India Program. Gernell credits these leadership and travel opportunities with transforming her into the person she always wanted to be – charismatic, outspoken, and self-assured. Gernell took those skills and applied them to her role as a dedicated member of the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston, and has been a consistent and reliable mentor for her Little Sister.
Among the six members awarded Youth of the Year by their respective Clubs, Gernell achieved distinction by earning organization-wide Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston Youth of the Year honors. The selection process of our 2020 Youth of the Year begins again in late February.
