Jack in the Box Youth of the Year Luncheon Honors Finalists and Winner

More than 300 supporters of the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii attended the annual Jack in the Box Youth of the Year Luncheon at the Hawaii Prince Hotel on April 25, to honor the 9 finalists and the winner of the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii Youth of the Year competition. At the luncheon, Jack in the Box presented the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii with a check for $22,000 to benefit youth and teen programs such as the organization’s Youth of the Year Academy and Award Luncheon. The check is the result of a special partnership between Jack in the Box and the Honolulu Advertiser that allows for the proceeds of the purchase price of each Honolulu Advertiser paper sold at any of the 25 Jack in the Box Hawaii locations to be donated to the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii.

Event Photos

The annual Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii (BGCH) Youth of the Year (YOY) competition offers exceptional Clubhouse teens the opportunity to under go a series of fun and challenging workshops designed to foster leadership, self-confidence, poise and interview skills. This year, 10 BGCH teen finalists representing Oahu clubhouses in Waianae, Nanakuli, McCully and Ewa and on Kauai – Waimea and Kapaa, spent over 6 weeks preparing for the annual Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii Youth of the Year competition which took place on February 21. Benjie Baclig, from the Waimea Clubhouse on Kauai, was selected as this years Youth of the Year and will be a recipient of the Macy’s Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii Youth of the Year Perpetual Trophy. The other 2009 Youth of the Year finalists were:

Antony Nghi, Spalding Club House
Brandon Flores, Kapaa Club House
Linda Leifi, Hale Pono Club House
Chezlani Crystal Lee, Hale Pono Club House
Dwayne Ortiz, Waianae Club House
Raymond Berdon, Waianae Club House
Zonda Baker, Nanakuli Club House
Jazzlyn Pasion-Saflor, Waimea Club House
Stacie Serquina, Lihue Clubhouse

The Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii Youth of the Year program is tied to the organization’s Leaders in Training program and incorporates Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii’s core programs of Character and Leadership Development, Education and Career Development, and Health and Life Skills. The Leaders in Training program provides teens between the ages of 13-17 a great opportunity to a) develop leadership skills, b) participate in service learning projects, c) navigate successfully in diverse environments, d) be a positive role model to other youth, e) actively plan and develop activities and f) learn real-life skills that will help them throughout their lives. The Leaders in Training Program adds an exciting dimension to the Boys & Girls Club by providing youth with opportunities to develop and practice leadership skills in varied roles. The young leaders are prepared for success in a variety of settings that include education, business, government and philanthropy. Through the Leaders in Training program, youth are empowered to take control of their futures and make a difference in their society as a whole.

The 2009 Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii Scholarship Winners were also announced at the luncheon. More than $9,000 in scholarship funds were awarded to 13 Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii members to use toward their future college education funds. Scholarships and award recipients included:

Friends for Boys Boys & Girls Club Hale Pono Ewa Beach Scholarship

Jonathan Straley
Mariah Orta
Dixie Castillo
Christina Lynn

Rainne Barkhorn Charitable Trust Savings Bond
Antony Nghi

The Mamoru & Aiko Takitani Foundation
Benjie Baclig
Zondra Baker
Kanani Santos

David Nakada Scholarship Fund
Danny Kekoanui
Priscilla Romero
Kellie Suehisa
Shane Viernes
Christian Willis

Mahalo to our generous sponsors!

SENIOR SPONSOR

HMSA

First Hawaiian Bank

JUNIOR SPONSOR

AES Hawaii
Prudential Locations Foundation

SOPHOMORE SPONSOR

Armstrong Builders
Bennet Group Strategic Communications
Crystal K. Rose
DR Horton
Hunt Development Group
Laura Thompson
Pacific Office Properties
UBS Financial Services
Watanabe Ng
Mike & Joanne Wood

Special Mahalo

Youth of the Year Event Chair- Jennifer Bulosan
Youth of the Year Academy Co-Chair - Chris Akin
Youth of the Year Academy Co-Chair - Forest Frizzell

Harry Aiu - centerpieces
Kuulei Bernadino - centerpieces
Hawaiian Host - party favors
Jack in in the box - party favors
Obun Hawaii Group - printing and design of invitation

Prize Sponsors & Donors

All-In
Anonymous
Best Buy
Disney
Eric Hamaguchi
go! Airlines
Hawaiian Island Creations
Johnson & Johnson
Kauai Utility Corp.
Kealapiko
Kingston Technologies
Kupa’aina
Microsoft
Moanalua Golf Course
Pacific Office Properties
Prudential Locations Foundation
Riches at Kahala Mall
Seattle’s Best Coffee
T&C Surf Designs
The Bridal Boutique

Alliance Members

Chris Akin
Jennifer Bulosan
Forest Frizzell
John Katahira
Liane Nomura-Siu
Steve Rodolfich
Neil Rose
Scott Simon
Jeannine Souki
Ben Wang
Jacy Youn
Dean Young
Darcie Yuikmura