Boys & Girls Club awards Youth of the Year

The annual Steak and Burger event was a night of awards, philanthropy and Western charm. 

Guests were treated to a Western-themed evening complete with steak and burger dinners. Seated at each table was a Boys & Girls Club member to mingle with guests during dinner. In a twist on typical dinners, it was the children who were served steak while adults chowed down on burgers. 

The event celebrates the young members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County by awarding one member the coveted Youth of the Year award. The award recognizes members who show values of leadership service, academic excellence and healthy lifestyles. 

The county-wide Youth of the Year award has proven to be a launching point for Boys & Girls Club members. That was the case for the 2015 National Youth of the Year winner and Sarasota Military Academy graduate Whitney Stewart. 

Candidates represent all four branches of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County. Each was required to write three essays and have letters of recommendation from members in the community in order to be nominated for the award. 

The candidates for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota County Youth of the Year were Kayla McGann (Roy McBean branch), Almuta Hawks (Lee Wetherington branch), Rickey Tedesco (Robert and Joan Lee branch) and Brittany Alling (Gene Matthews branch). 

Sixteen-year-old Rickey Tedesco was awarded the honor. Tedesco is a sophomore at Venice High School. 

“This is pretty much the greatest opportunity I’ve ever been given,” Tedesco said.