Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast Member Chosen as 2015 Mississippi State Youth of the Year

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast (B.G.C.G.C.) member, Josh Womble, was chosen as the 2015 Mississippi State Youth of the Year last weekend in Jackson. Competing against 18 other members from Clubs all across the state, Womble went through a rigorous interview process and met with many different judges. He was awarded a $5,000 in college scholarships.

Being named Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Boys & Girls Club member can receive. The title recognizes outstanding contributions to a member’s family, school, community and Boys & Girls Club, as well as personal challenges and obstacles overcome. This program was founded over 60 years ago through the generosity of Reader’s Digest.

Womble graduated from Pass Christian High School in 2014, and is currently a freshman at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. He has been a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast for the past seven years. He was involved in activities such as Junior Staff and Keystone Club. He was instrumental in starting the “Cooking in the Club” program at the Qatar Center in Pass Christian. Leading the Keystone Club with several successful bake sales, Josh and other members raised enough funds to attend the Club’s first ever regional conference for Keystone. Womble participated in community service projects, team building exercises and mentored many younger members of the Club.

Executive Director of B.G.C.G.C., David Sykes, says, “We are so proud of Josh. His story represents what we at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast are all about: academic success, community and Club involvement, and persistence in the face of adversity. Josh is a wonderful example of the impact B.G.C.G.C. is having on the more than 3,000 youth we serve every year. We are honored that his GREAT FUTURE started here.”

Womble will go on to represent Mississippi at the regional competition in Atlanta, GA in July. There, he and representatives from 8 other southern states will compete for a $10,000 scholarship and a chance to move forward to the national level. The National Youth of the Year receives a $50,000 scholarship and the opportunity to meet and be recognized by the President of the United States at the White House.