Aria Grady named Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year

Six candidates from Boys & Girls Clubs from across the Gulf Coast vied for the title of Youth of the Year at the Great Southern Club in downtown Gulfport on Tuesday.

After candidate interviews and speeches before a packed crowd, Aria Grady from Pass Christian’s Qatar Center club is the Gulf Coast Youth of the Year and recipient of a $1,500 scholarship.

The annual luncheon featured video bios and speeches, as well as a talk by Hancock Whitney CEO John Hairston, who began his remarks by saying he was so impressed with the candidates’ speeches he was making a $1,000 donation to each of their education funds.

Grady will now move on to statewide competition. If she wins the state competition and a $2,500 scholarship, she will move on to represent Mississippi to vie for the title of national Youth of the Year.

Congratulations to all of the candidates!