Congratulations to the 2011 Arizona State Youth of the Year!

Olga Fernandez
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale

Olga Fernandez, an 18-year-old from Scottsdale, was named Boys & Girls Club State Youth of the Year at the 11th Annual Arizona Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs Legislative Breakfast, presented by the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Fernandez, a 10-year member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale’s Rose Lane Branch, was chosen over seven other candidates representing Clubs across the state. After being named the winner at the breakfast at the Sheraton Downtown Phoenix, Fernandez will take home scholarships of $1,800 from the Fiesta Bowl and $1,000 from Tupperware Brands. She has also received a $5,000 scholarship from General Dynamics C4 Systems, a $750 American Express gift card and a new laptop computer from Network PC Engineering(NPCE). Read more

The Arizona Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs

• Arizona Clubs have 47,000 registered members, plus another 87,000 youth served who benefit from the clubs’ program or facilities annually, mostly from disadvantaged circumstances

• Operate 73 full service Clubhouses daily, in 12 counties and 22 Arizona cities, including at all of our state’s military facilities

• Most of these people are between the ages of 6 and 18, some of whom are foster children

• Of those youth, 45 percent are girls and 55 percent are boys

• Forty-seven percent of members within the Arizona Alliance live at or below the Federal poverty level

• Boys & Girls Clubs provide over 60 different programs for youth such as

• Character and leadership development

• Education programs which help youth with schoolwork, teach positive study habits, promote computer and job skills and prepare older children for college

• Health education, self-esteem and wellness, including counseling against the dangers of drugs, alcohol and premature sexual activity

• Gang prevention to intervene in the lives of gang members to help them and their families regain control of their lives

• Family support activities, program and events are designed to benefit Club members by promoting family stability, cohesion and connection. Examples include family fun nights, parenting classes, referral services, job skills training programs and single-parent support groups

• Clubs provide a safe place for children who are at-risk or facing difficult family situations

• Have collective budgets that total over $26 million annually, with no more than a 10% administrative cost

• Provide specialized prevention programs that combat the spread of alcohol, drugs, tobacco and teen pregnancy

• Operate after-school programs for over 4500 children daily

• Operate 12 Clubs in Native American communities in the state