BENTONVILLE Ark., March 10, 2010 – The Boys & Girls Club of Benton County will host our Annual Youth of the Year Celebration on Thursday March 11, 2010 at 6:30 pm at the Doubletree Guest Suites in Bentonville.
 
The Youth of the Year program is designed to recognize an exceptional youth who exceeds in their local Boys and Girls Club as well as the community and academics. The contestants have an opportunity to participate at local, state, regional and national levels.
 
Melvin Adams, a retired Harlem Globetrotter will be our guest speaker and share his story of overcoming negative circumstances in his life to achieve his dream of playing professional basketball.
 
The Youth of the Month program is part of the National Boys & Girls Clubs of America Youth of the Year program.  Each Unit selects a Club member each month to be their Youth of the Month.  At the end of the 12 month period, a committee selects one Club member from the Youth of the Month recipients to represent the Boys & Girls Club of Benton County as the Youth of the Year.  This individual will receive a college scholarship in the amount of $1,500.  The Youth of the Year for our Club will go onto compete at the State level for additional scholarship funding.  The competition will continue up to Regional and National levels.  Each level awards additional scholarship funding.
 
Additional honors will be bestowed throughout the evening’s festivities.  Four deserving Club members will be presented with the Junior Youth of the Year Award. This award is given to active Club members who serve as role models for younger Club members and assisting staff members with program activities.  
 
 
Please join our staff, Board of Directors and Club members to honor these outstanding youth that serve our community.
 
 
 
ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF BENTON COUNTY
 
The mission of the Boys & Girls Club of Benton County is to promote and strengthen families, while at the same time building stronger communities in the towns and cities we serve. This is accomplished by providing facilities, programs and services that enable and ensure our youth realize their full potential. The Clubs offer a variety of after-school, intercession and summer programs designed for character and leadership development as well as education and career development and activities promoting health and life skills, the Arts, sports, fitness and recreation.  
 
The Boys & Girls Club of Benton County operates facilities from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday – Friday and from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. during summer and 7:00am to 5:00 p.m. during most school breaks.  Benton County club facilities serve the Bentonville, Rogers, Gravette and Bella Vista communities from the following locations:
 
McKinney Unit                2801 N. Walker, Bentonville, Ark.
Bella Vista Unit            2260 Forrest Hills Blvd, Bella Vista, Ark.
H.L.M. Unit                 1207 NW Leopard Lane, Bentonville, Ark.
Rogers Unit                         409 S. 8th, Rogers, Ark.
 
To donate to the Boys & Girls Club of Benton County, volunteer or inquire about how you can become a member, call (479) 273-7187.