We are proud to recognize Alizea D. as the 2023 Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year, Mackensie W. as the 2023 Coeur d’Alene Junior Youth of the Year, and Carter M. as the 2023 Post Falls Junior Youth of the Year.
In late January, we gathered at the Jacklin Arts & Cultural Center in Post Falls to celebrate and honor some of our most deserving and awe-inspiring young Club members, and acknowledge the selfless work of several devoted individuals on our staff.
Alizea Daniels, a Senior at Post Falls High School, was awarded winner of the 2023 Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year, Kootenai County. Ali’s inspirational story brought both a tear and a smile to the faces of those in attendance. Her inner strength and resilience simply scratch the surface of the myriad traits that she embodies. Ali will be attending Boise State this Fall. She is not only motivated to succeed, but to use her education and experience to help others in her community, and to teach marginalized youth how to transform obstacles into opportunities.
When not engaged with the Club or handling her academic pursuits, Alizea is an accomplished athlete, musician, artist, mentor, and continuous learner. The entire Boys & Girls Club family was honored to have Ali represent our community at the annual Idaho Youth of the Year competition in Boise on February 22nd.
Cale Carver, a Sophomore at Post Falls High School, was runner-up at this year’s contest. Cale spoke fondly of his membership years at the Jordan Johnson Clubhouse and highlighted his leadership role as the Torch Club President. Other passions include 4H and working as a referee with Parks & Recreation. During the coming year, Cale plans to volunteer in the community and continue to mentor younger Club members. We look forward to seeing him again at the 2024 Youth of the Year ceremony.
Youth of the Year, Kootenai County
January 18, 2023
Youth of the Year, State of Idaho
February 22, 2023
Boys & Girls Clubs of Kootenai County proudly sent our local winner, Alizea Daniels, to Boise to compete at the statewide Youth of the Year program on February 22nd.
The State of Idaho Youth of the Year, hosted by the Idaho Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, is a prestigious honor bestowed upon an exemplary teen in recognition of their leadership, service, academic excellence, and dedication to living a healthy lifestyle.
While in Boise, Alizea and her fellow nominees met with their locally elected legislators to advocate for the causes they care about most. They also participated in a meet-n-greet and photo-op with Idaho’s 33rd Governor, Brad Little, a longtime supporter of the Boys & Girls Clubs in Idaho.
Youth of the Year nominees had a rare opportunity to see the Fab at Micron Technology in east Boise. As the presenting sponsor, Micron was excited to provide this workforce development opportunity to our teens.
Although Alizea dazzled the room with her presentation, she ultimately fell short of the prized top position in the closely judged competition. As a State of Idaho nominee, Ali was presented with $1,500 in scholarships from the Idaho Alliance and the Micron Foundation.
In conjunction with this event, Devin Weeks at the Coeur d’Alene PRESS published a very thoughtful article about Alizea’s journey. Thank you Devin!
