Seven Local High School Students Named Youth of the Year Ambassadors

Seven local high school students have been named Youth of the Year Ambassadors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Redlands-Riverside. The Ambassadors – Adrian Michael Johnson Jr., Adrian Raquel Chavez, Isabel Cruz, Karla Ponce, Destiny and Stephanie Puente, and Diego Soto -- were chosen for their character and citizenship, academics, and commitment to a healthy lifestyle. They each wrote three essays, gave a short speech and were interviewed by a panel of judges, which included educators, physicians and other community professionals. “Judging for Youth of the Year was such an interesting and rewarding experience,” said Bud Opdyke, who works in education. “It was a process through which candidates articulated their hardships and how they have dealt with them, as well as their hopes and aspirations for the future. They talked about the integral role that the Boys & Girls Clubs has played in their lives. They all persevered through the anxiety-provoking process of having to present themselves to a group of adult strangers. A great group of students.” The Ambassadors will serve as spokespeople for the Clubs and will be honored at the Club’s Be Great Awards on May 6. They also receive college scholarships. The Ambassador chosen as the Club’s Youth of the Year competes in the competition for Riverside and San Bernardino counties and, if he or she wins that, the state level. The Club will announce its Youth of the Year next week. “I want (the Youth of the Year program) to enable me to show others that dreams can come true, especially for young African American boys and teenagers,” said Ambassador Adrian Johnson. “Lately, there have been many negative images on the news. I want to demonstrate my abilities, all while proving that all people, regardless of race, can positively contribute to the world.” Adrian has been involved with the Club for three years, and volunteers at the Moreno Valley site. He is a senior at Rancho Verde High School and hopes to attend UC San Diego to study acting. His passion is to bring the arts to low-income communities. Ambassador Adrian Chavez is dedicated to ending bullying and teen suicide, and caring for the environment. “I want to end bullying, create awareness and inspire targets of bullying to stand up for themselves … We have to put an end to bullying now – if not, people will cut themselves, be mean to other people or sadly end their lives to try to get away from it,” she said. “Before you speak, think of what you are doing – a wrong word can end someone’s life.” Adrian, a junior at Redlands East Valley High School, wants to attend Cal State Fullerton and work in law enforcement. She is president of Keystone Club, Boys & Girls Clubs’ teen leadership and community service program. Ambassador Destiny Puente has been at the Club for four years and is vice president of Keystone. A junior at Redlands East Valley High School, she wants to attend San Bernardino Valley College and be an entrepreneur. “The Boys & Girls Club keeps me away from bad choices and helps me stay away from peer pressure … and from being on the streets and making mischief,” said Destiny, who is passionate about preventing teen pregnancy. “Instead, the Club helps me with my homework and motivates me to be a better person than I ever knew I could be.” Another Ambassador who is passionate about preventing bullying is Isabel Cruz, a sophomore at Citrus Valley High School who has been at the Club for two years. She is also committed to inspiring teens and fighting stereotyping. “Before joining the Boys & Girls Club, I got terrible grades and didn’t care much for school and didn’t want anything to do with the Club,” she said. “But joining the Club, and seeing so many kids want to do well in school and want to go to college and get a great start on life, made me want better for myself and try my hardest in school.” Isabel hopes to attend UC Berkley and be an author or journalist. Diego Soto, a varsity baseball player, has been a Club member for 12 years. He is attending Cal State East Bay and wants to be a sports therapist. “Without the Club, I don’t think I’d be able to speak one on one, let alone in front of judges. I’d just be anti-social, keep to myself. If there was a problem, it would get worse,” Diego said. “Luckily, I have the Club to help me be a better person. The Club didn’t just make me a leader,I’m also able to be led. I’m not just a leader, I’m also a worker.” Ambassador Karla Ponce has been going to the Club for 10 years, and both works and volunteers there. She is active in the AVID program at Orangewood High School, where she is a senior. “My time at the Boys & Girls Club is well spent. Instead of being bored, I can go to the Club and learn things about college, community service, and knowing how to be a lady in the future,” Karla said. She is also interested in fighting bullying and teen suicide, while being a role model for youth. Ambassador Stephanie Puente, Destiny’s twin sister, is also a Club Junior Staff member and volunteer. She is a junior at Redlands East Valley High School, and hopes to attend UC Riverside and be an attorney. “I am determined to finish my last year of high school and attend a university. As a full-time student, I am planning to support myself,” she said. “My purpose in life is to be successful at everything I do. I also want to set a good example for those who look up to me – (and) not only for them, but for teens out there who believe they’re not able to accomplish their goals.” Stephanie is committed to preventing teen pregnancy and fighting bullying and racism. “Our judges had a tough time choosing the Youth of the Year from these seven exceptional young people, and we are glad we can honor them all in some way,” said CEO P.T. McEwen. “They all exemplify the mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs and we know all of them have bright futures.” Rina Makena, a law student who also served as a judge, called the Youth of the Year experience “incredible.” “It definitely inspired me to take education more seriously at my site and aim to help the kids gain better speech and interview skills,” she said. “It is exciting to see how the Boys & Girls Club has impacted their lives and supported their goals,” said Mary Cardenas, senior human resources manager at iHerb, Inc. in Moreno Valley. “It was a rewarding experience to be part of the judging panel.”