Oxnard teen honored as BGCOP’s Youth of the Year

OXNARD, Calif. - Feb. 13, 2014 - PRLog -- Singled out among several outstanding local youth, 17-year-old Anna Heath has been named 2014 Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme.

The Youth of the Year competition recognizes outstanding contributions to a member’s family, school, community and Boys & Girls Club local organization, as well as overcoming personal challenges and obstacles. Youth of the Year encourages Club members to reach their full potential by achieving academic success, leading healthy lifestyles and contributing to their communities. Youth of the Year honorees are shining examples and living proof that great futures start at Boys & Girls Clubs.

“Anna has turned many obstacles and challenges in her life into opportunities. She is a strong-willed young woman who represents our Club with great pride and enthusiasm,” said Tim Blaylock, chief professional officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme. “We are proud to honor her as our Youth of the Year.”

A BGCOP club member for 11 years, Heath said on her first day at the Club she initially felt afraid to be alone but the staff and other members quickly made her feel at home. “I soon realized that the Club was a place where I could learn, grow and belong,” said Heath. She joined programs like Smart Girls, Triple Play and took part in the Club’s athletic teams. As she got older and went to the Teen Center, she joined The Keystone Leadership Club and has been a teen reporter for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Now a senior at Pacifica High School in Oxnard, Heath attributes a lot of her self-confidence and achievements to experiences she has had at BGCOP. She works hard in school and was in the top 30 percent of her class at the end of her junior year. She has been accepted to Grand Canyon University in Arizona and is waiting to hear if she has also been accepted to California State University, Sacramento. She plans to study kinesiology with the goal of becoming a sports therapist.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme exists to inspire and enable all young people to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. With three full-service clubs, 18 school program sites and one housing site, the organization is one of the largest of its kind in California, serving more than 9,000 members annually. The group is also the first Boys & Girls Club of its kind to open a site inside a Juvenile Justice Center in the state of California. Program areas offered to youth include character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts, technology and sports, fitness and recreation. For more information, visit www.positiveplace4kids.org.