Out of 4.8 million involved kids across the United States, there are thousands of local boys and girls who are learning the values of leadership and community services by attending after-school programs offered by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
The Daily Herald reported Tuesday that several teens from the area are among the 22 kids competing for the state's "Youth of the Year" award Wednesday in Springfield.
Each child in the running will give a three-minute speech about what the club means to them, the paper said.
"It is a motivating, inspirational event that tells about the story, the impact of the club on their lives," Bill Hicks, regional service director for the BGCA, said.
