The student news site of Hawthorne High School.

The Clarion

The student news site of Hawthorne High School.

The Clarion

The student news site of Hawthorne High School.

The Clarion

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Patrick Cymny Runs for Youth of the Year

Every year, Boys and Girls Clubs nationwide recognize and award outstanding members, or students who volunteer, work or go to the club, through the Youth of the Year program. Hawthorne High School senior, Patrick Cymny, decided to run for Youth of the Year through Hawthorne’s own Boys and Girls Club, and although Cymny did not proceed past the local level, he kept a positive outlook throughout the entire experience.

Cymny heard about the Youth of the Year program in the local Boys and Girls Club, which is a program that provides a safe, affordable place for young individuals during non-school hours. He realized what a great opportunity the program was and decided that he wanted to be a part of it. The Youth of the Year program awards students who best represent their club and themselves. Cymny had a lot of advantages in the competition. He is a well-spoken individual, and since he has been a part of the Boys and Girls Club for most of his life, he is able to portray a positive outlook of the club. Ten years ago, Cymny joined the Boys and Girls Club; little did he know that the Club would become such a big part of his life.

The Youth of the Year program is divided into four different categories: local, state, regional, and national. A contestant must must be successful in the first three levels before getting the chance to part take in the national competition. Cymny ran for the local section of the program.

In order to compete, candidates were required to write eight essays concerning the topics of leadership and the participants’ own experiences with leadership in life and in the Club. They also had to go through interviews with the judges, explained Cymny. The contestants were also required to obtain two letters of recommendation. Cymny was asked what he did to prepare for the challenge; he proudly stated, “I practiced my public speaking prior to having an interview with the judges of the competition, along with reading over my essays, and preparing myself for the questions that might be asked.”

Although he did not progress past the local section of the program, Cymny kept a positive outlook on the competition. “It would be great… [to] win, because then I get to move on to the state competition. However,… I will still look at this experience as a positive one that I will never regret.”

Cymny believes running for Youth of the Year was definitely worth it as he got the chance to express his views on life and got to express what the Boys and Girls Club means to him. Cymny also hopes this experience will enhance his interviewing, writing, and public speaking skills on top of helping him gain a stronger work ethic.

Cymny recommends this program to his fellow peers, stating, “Youth of the Year is a lot of work, but it is a rewarding experience. You get to be recognized for all your hard work and accomplishments, win or lose.”