Press Release
☷Baumholder High School junior named Europe Region Military Youth of the Year
U.S. Army ( By Press Release office)
Apr 27,2022
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Janiyah Spruill , Europe ' s Military Youth of the Year BAUMHOLDER , Germany — A Wetzel Teen Center youth recently became the first from the U . S . Army Garrison Rheinland - Pfalz Baumholder Child and Youth Services ( CYS ) program to earn Europe’s Military Youth of the Year ( MYOY ) award . Janiyah Spruill competed against 12 other highly qualified candidates from around Europe for the honor announced by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America ( BGCA ) . Held virtually April 19 , the BGCA conducted a ceremony where Janiyah , along with the other youth members across military installations in Europe , faced a six panel board to showcase their writing , interview skills and public speaking abilities . During this ceremony , Janiyah was awarded the title of Europe MYOY . Janiyah learning she won the Youth of the Year award . “Janiyah is a self - starter who has a real genuine concern for her generation and has concrete ideas and clubs she has started to help advocate for them , ” said Ryan Flynn , youth programs director at Baumholder CYS . “She is an easy leader and people are drawn to her for this ability . She also just has that spark . That ‘it factor . ’ When you speak to her , you know there is something special happening there . She also put in the time and effort to get herself to this place . Practicing her speech and doing mock interviews on school out days , nights , weekends and spring break with family members or with staff at the youth program . ” Serving as student president , track captain and president of Baumholder ' s Legacy Keystone Club , Janiyah “is a passionate advocate for her generation , ” added Jason Etchell , deputy director of the garrison’s Family and Morale , Welfare & Recreation directorate . The Boys and Girls Club of America’s Youth of the Year program involves a competitive process in which Janiyah had to write essays and submit an application package to the BGCA national staff in Atlanta , GA . “I had to write and compose four essays about different subjects , have some evidence of advocacy and change , make a resume , cover letter and compose my speech for the Europe competition , ” explained Janiyah . “I thank God for the powerful voice he’s blessed me with , my huge family that supports me through whatever and Mr . Ryan and the teen center for taking a chance on someone who wasn’t even at the teen center by choice , ” added Janiyah . Apart from the recognition , the award includes a $2 , 500 scholarship which Janiyah will use towards her college tuition . “I plan on using it to help assist the enormous mountain we all climb known as college tuition , ” she said . “My top college so far is the University of Oregon . I want to major in public relations/image management and have dreams to be an Olympian . ” Aside from being the first time a youth from Baumholder has been recognized at this level of the BGCA MYOY contest , the award “also highlights the dedicated youth development professionals that we have at our youth centers and the commitment they have to the youth we serve every day , ” said Flynn . Janiyah now advances to the Northeast Region Youth of the Year competition held in New York City this June .
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