Newport This Week

Middletown Senior Named Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County’s Youth of the Year


Kyle Brennan Simmons – Photo Credit Jessica Pohl

Middletown Senior Named Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County’s Youth of the Year

 

May 15, 2023 – The Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County has selected Kyle Brennan Simmons, a senior at Middletown High School, as the Club’s Youth of the Year. Youth of the Year (YOY) is a Boys & Girls Clubs of America initiative wherein clubs across the US recognize an outstanding member and is the highest honor a Club member can achieve. Next week, Kyle will compete with YOYs from other Boys & Girls Clubs in Rhode Island for the title of Rhode Island Youth of the Year.

Kyle began his Club experience in 2021. “The reason why I decided to come to the Club was because it made me feel at home,” he explained. “The staff who work and help out are the most amazing people I’ve ever met in my life. They always give me assistance if I’m jammed up on something, and they give me advice and help me find a way to overcome the problem. The Club has changed my life in so many ways and helped me develop many life skills.”

Kyle credits his autism as his superpower. “Yes, it can be an obstacle in some instances, but it also gives me uniqueness, knowledge, and a drive to achieve what I put my mind to,” he explained. “If people knock me down, my drive will push me right back up and keep going until they can’t knock me off my feet anymore.”

In the fall, Kyle will attend Dean College and major in sports broadcasting. “I can say unequivocally that we are all so proud of having Kyle represent the Club as our Youth of the Year,” stated Executive Director and CEO Joe Pratt. “His unwavering determination to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals leaves us in awe and will ensure his success at college and beyond.”

Since its inception in 1947, BGCA’s YOY initiative has celebrated the extraordinary achievements of club teens, and those who earn the title embody the values of leadership and service, academic excellence, and healthy lifestyles, and exemplify the critical impact that Boys & Girls Clubs have on young people. Honorees are considered shining examples and living proof that “Great Futures” start at Boys & Girls Clubs.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Newport County was founded in 1956 to provide a safe place for youth, where they could find help with challenges and encouragement to reach their goals. For the past 67 years, the Club has grown and evolved while staying true to its mission of “inspiring and enabling all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.” As the leading youth guidance agency in the area, the Club continues to provide a positive, safe and fun environment for children and teens to learn and grow and plays a vital role in strengthening and supporting the community served. Each Club activity falls into at least one of three core areas – Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles, and Character & Leadership Development – utilizing evidence-informed and evidence-based programs that put young people on the path to success.

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