Story Published: Feb 3, 2012 at 12:35 AM PDT
Story Updated: Feb 3, 2012 at 12:35 AM PDT
For Faith Evans, the Boys and Girls Club of the Lewis Clark Valley is her home away from home.
"Well it's very special to me, I grew up in the club and I've always wanted to be something more than just me," said Evans.
This year, Faith achieved the highest honor a club member can receive, "Youth of the Year."
A 9th grader at Jenifer Junior High, Faith stays busy with cheerleading and other after-school activities but she still finds time to be a positive role model for young kids.
"I definitely think that it's helped me be a better leader in school," said Evans. "I'll come here and I can help the little kids learn and it makes me feel a lot better about myself and I know it makes them feel better also. When I go to school, I can still have that leadership role."
At the club, Faith usually hangs out in the teen center, helping out or interacting with other young club members.
"She's just a well-rounded person that knows what she wants and be able to just be a leader among her peers and at the club," said Kelly Carlstrom, a unit director at the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Lewis Clark Valley.
As for future plans, she's combining her two passions: school and kids. Faith plans to attend the University of Idaho to earn her elementary education so she can teach second graders.
But until then she has one more challenge to overcome. As the new Youth of the Year for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Lewis Clark Valley, Faith will head to Boise at the end of February to compete against other club members for the Idaho Youth of the Year title and a $1000 college scholarship.
If Faith wins at the state competition, she will go on to compete for the title of Pacific Region Youth of the Year and receive an additional $10,000 scholarship.
Five regional winners will advance to Washington D.C. to compete for the title of National Youth of the Year for a $50,000 scholarship and a chance to meet President Obama at the White House.
