EXCEPTIONAL TEEN NAMED 2023 NEW JERSEY “YOUTH OF THE YEAR” BY BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS IN NEW JERSEY

Genesis Parfait Set to Receive College Scholarship and Vie for Northeast Regional Title in June
Clifton, NJ, May 11, 2023 – Selected among 15 outstanding youth, Genesis P., from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Newark, has been named the 2023 New Jersey Youth of the Year by Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

The Youth of the Year title is a prestigious honor bestowed upon an exemplary young person in recognition of leadership, service, academic excellence, and dedication to living a healthy lifestyle. Now in its 76th year, the Youth of the Year program honors our nation’s most awe-inspiring young people on their path to great futures. As the 2023 New Jersey Youth of the Year, Genesis will serve as an ambassador for all teens in the state and will receive a $12,500 college scholarship from Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. She will go on to contend for the regional Youth of the Year and ultimately the national title.

Parfait has been an outstanding Club member of the Boys & Girls Club of Newark (BGCN) for more than 12 years where she participated in many Club programs including Keystone Club; a teens group dedicated the leadership and community service., BGCN’s Step Team, SMART Girls, STEM, and may more programs. She also volunteers in her spare time mentoring younger members during Power Hour; an hour dedicated after school to assist members with homework. Outside of the clubhouse Parfait maintains a 4.3 GPA while also being on the KIPP School Board of Directors, President and Secretary Interior of her high school’s Student Government, and founder of the Step Team at Newark Collegiate Academy. She will be attending the University of New Haven in the Fall where she hopes to major in Forensic Science.

“We are incredibly proud of Genesis and all the Youth of the Year nominees,” said Susan Haspel, State Director of Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey. “Being named NJ Youth of the Year is a lifelong honor. As the New Jersey Youth of the Year, Genesis will serve as a spokesperson for Boys & Girls Club kids and teens across the state as a role model that they can admire and emulate.”

Founded in 1947 as Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s premier youth recognition program, Youth of the Year recognizes outstanding contributions to a member’s family, school, community, and Boys & Girls Club. The Youth of the Year program is supported by Toyota and Mondelēz- International. As the Signature Sponsor of Youth of the Year, Toyota is committed to partnering with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to ensure local Clubs provide life-enhancing opportunities for kids and teens to explore, develop and apply the essential skills they need to be successful in life and work. As the Lead Sponsor of Youth of the Year, Mondelēz International, will engage with local Clubs year-round to help foster a new generation of leaders prepared to live in and lead a diverse global economy. Youth of the Year representatives are the workforce leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers of tomorrow. 

On June 21, Parfait will join other state Youth of the Year to vie for the Northeast regional title. If named the regional Youth of the Year, they will be awarded an additional $20,000 college scholarship. The five finalists along with the National Military Youth of the Year, will advance to the National Youth of the Year event on October 5, 2023 in New York to vie for the title of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Youth of the Year. The National Youth of the Year receives an additional scholarship of $50,000 and a brand-new Toyota Corolla. 

For more information about the Youth of the Year program, visit www.youthoftheyear.org.  

About Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey

Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey is an alliance of 22 Boys & Girls Club organizations serving more than 40,000 youth ages 5-18 throughout the Garden State.  Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey is a collaborative effort representing all 22 Clubs with the purpose of building local Club capacity; raising public awareness; and securing resources and financial support to increase the impact and reach of NJ Clubs. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey at www.bgcnj.org.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has provided a safe place for kids and teens to learn and grow. Clubs offer caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Clubs programming promotes academic success, good character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles. More than 4,900 Clubs serve over 4.3 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and Twitter.