Meet Brookhaven Boys & Girls Club 'Youth of the Year'

Nakia Williams is  the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta 2013 Youth of the Year for the Brookhaven club. The award is BGCMA’s highest honor, recognizing teens from clubs in the metro Atlanta area.

From the BGCMS, meet Nakia Williams:

Nakia hopes to be the first in her family to earn a college degree. Thanks to the support of her family and her Club, she has a solid base to build from and a great shot at her future.

As Brookhaven Boys & Girls Club’s Youth of the Year, she has a strong presence in her Club, community and her school. Her peers describe her as responsible and determined. Nakia serves as the lead advisor for the Girl Talk program and president of the Keystone Club, as well as participates in College Bound – a program aimed at preparing kids and teens for college. A senior at Berkmar High School, Nakia is vice president of Family Career and Community Leaders and a member of the Sign Language Club. In her community, she volunteers with local organizations including Operation Christmas Child, March of Dimes, Relay for Life and Hosea Feed the Hungry. Although she is passionate and driven, this high school senior is also down to earth. Right now, she is focused on cherishing her last moments in high school and making her brother proud.  One day, Nakia hopes to become a radio personality on a hip hop and rap station.

This year, Nakia, along with winners from 19 other Boys & Girls Club locations, will be honored at the annual Youth of the Year Dinner & Awards Ceremony on Nov. 7 and compete for the title of Metro Atlanta Youth of the Year. More than 800 attendees, including local politicians, business leaders and supporters, will attend this signature fundraising event at the Marriott Marquis.

“We teach kids at our Clubs that, with hard work and perseverance, anything is possible,” said Missy Dugan, president & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta. “Many of the youth we serve face pretty tough challenges on a day to day basis. When I see these kids excelling in home, at school and in their communities, I feel such a sense of pride knowing we are playing a role in their success.”

During the evening, attendees will hear speeches from six Youth of the Year finalists about how BGCMA has helped shape their lives. At the end of the night, BGCMA will crown one finalist 2013-2014 Youth of the Year. In addition to recognizing talented teens at the Clubs, BGCMA will also celebrate its 75th anniversary during the evening. 

To find out more about this year’s Youth of the Year event and how to purchase a table, visit www.bgcma.org/youthoftheyear2013. For more information on how you can become involved in shaping great futures, visitwww.bgcma.org/get_involved.