Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee Announces 2014

On behalf of our Board of Directors, Staff, and Members, we are proud to announce that Kiara Gonzalez, a 15-year-old Club Member, has been selected as our 2014 Youth of the Year!

Kiara will represent the Club, and the city, at the State Competition in May, being held in Worcester, Massachusetts.  There, she will compete against 40 other Youths of the Year from across the state.  If selected, Kiara with then have the opportunity to compete at the regional and national competitions.

About Kiara:
 

Miss Gonzalez has been a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee for seven years.  In her time with us, she has become one of the stand-out members of our organization.  Kiara lives at home, in the Willimansett section of Chicopee, with her mother Sarah, older brother Tony, and younger brother Carlos, who is also a member of the Club.  

Kiara's immediate goal is to graduate from Chicopee High School, where she is currently a Freshman.  After high school, Kiara has the dream of becoming a police detective.  She is counting on her "failure is not an option" attitude to get her into college.  She hopes to serve as an inspiration to others.  Kiara says, "Someday, I want people to look at me and say, 'because of you I didn't give up.'"

While volunteering is something we strive to instill in all of our members, Kiara is an exception.  She has donated countless hours of time to the Club, helping to distribute snack, filing paperwork, and most notably in our concession stand.  Whether for a fundraising event, turkey dinner, wrestling show or for a Club dance, Kiara is there.  In what has become known as "Kiara's Kitchen," she recruits other volunteers, oversees the stand operation, and ensures things are cleaned and organized. 

When asked recently about what the Boys & Girls Club of Chicopee means to her, she had this to say.  "The Club taught me as a young girl how to make friends, and act appropriately with children my age.  I met my best friend at the Club, and I can't imagine my life without her.  As for the adults, I truly feel like the Boys & Girls Club has given me multiple aunts and uncles.  I've formed a strong bond with each and every one of them, and know that if I need help with anything, or need advice, I can always go to them."    

We are so proud of Kiara, and look forward to watching her grow and reach for the goals she has set for herself.  She is another example of how...