Page 34 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2017

PEOPLE leading by example
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast
Recent graduate namedYouth of the Year story by Lynn Lofton photos courtesy of Boys & Girls Club of the Gulf Coast
Khalil McGowan
Enabling young people to reach their full potential is a core part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gulf Coast’s mission. Selecting a Youth of the Year is a key part of that mission. Each of the five clubs selects a young person for the competition and all are recognized at the annual Steak & Stake dinner before the winner is revealed. This year’s Youth of the Year is Khalil McGowan, 18, of the Forest Heights Center. The other finalists included Jaliyah Snaer of the IP Center at North Bay, Ian Catchings of the East Biloxi Unit, Jasmine Hawkins of the Hancock County Unit and Michael Carlson of the Qatar Center at Pass Christian.
Bruce Hall, presenting the award to Khalil McGowan.
www.bgcgulfcoast.org
A Gulfport resident, Khalil McGowan is a recent graduate of Harrison Central High School and is the son of Keshanna Green. “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can do what others can’t,” he says is his philosophy of life. “The Boys & Girls Club has helped me stay positive and focused in school and pushed me to be the best I can be.”
McGowan came to the club in 2010 where he advanced from member
to volunteer to junior staff and this summer was hired as a regular staff member. “I like helping others and seeing them succeed,” he says of his work as program instructor for grades six through eight.
Being named Youth of the Year “is a wonderful feeling,” and he says he’s had so many mentors it would be difficult to single one out. “The Boys & Girls Club helped me get through difficult times, such as when I lost family members, and has prepared
me for college. They coached me and grilled me very well,” he added. He will attend Jackson State University this fall and plans to major in education. After graduation, he would like to return to the Coast and teach.
McGowan’s favorite subject is anything pertaining to math. During his high school days, he was a member of the Spanish Honor Society, served
as president and vice president of the Keystone Club, and was a member of the League of Distinguished Gentlemen Leadership/Mentor Organization
that focuses on mentoring males from middle school to high school.
“Khalil is an amazing young man. His dedication to academic success, healthy lifestyles, and good moral character and leadership is what makes him the ideal Youth of The Year,” said Amaja Shaw, director of program services for the Boys & Girls Clubs.
Byron Carter, program quality specialist for the Mississippi Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs, has known McGowan for eight years. “I have seen an unsure youth grow into a purpose driven young man. Khalil embodies what Boys & Girls Club is,” he said. “Leading by example is what he does. In the Keystone Club, he clocked over 1000 hours of community service by participating in tutoring, mentoring, off-site events, and he also created an in-club mentoring program for kids fourth grade and younger. I am proud
of him and look forward to continued great things from him.”
Tori Bishop, director of resource development and marketing, explains that for nearly 70 years, the Youth of the Year program has honored and celebrated the nation’s most inspiring teens and their incredible journeys.
“Stories of outstanding leadership, service, academic excellence and dedication to living a healthy lifestyle have made Youth of the Year America’s premier leadership and recognition program for teens. These amazing young people represent the voice and spirit of hope for America,” she said.
Each year, thousands of teens participate in local, state and regional Youth of the Year events. Six teens, including five regional winners and
a national military youth winner, advance to Washington, D.C., for
the National Youth of the Year Gala
& Celebration Dinner, where one outstanding young person is named Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s national teen spokesperson for the nearly four million youth served by the Clubs and all of America’s young people.
34 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • September 2017
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