CYRUS MARTINEZ NAMED YOUTH OF THE YEAR
BY BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF METRO PHOENIX
Desert Valley High School senior set to receive college scholarship and vie for state title
PHOENIX (March 18, 2018) Selected among 13 outstanding youth, Cyrus Martinez has been named the Youth of the Year by Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix. The Youth of the Year title is a prestigious honor bestowed upon an exemplary young person in recognition of leadership, service, academic excellence and dedication to live a healthy lifestyle. The Youth of the Year program honors our nation’s most awe-inspiring young people on their path to great futures and encourages all kids to lead, succeed and inspire.
Cyrus joined the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix Sands Branch in Glendale three years ago after his family moved here from California. His high school years were challenging, and Cyrus shared with the judges his struggles with mental health. He was treated for a variety of mental health issues and the Club became a second home for him after he completed a treatment program that helped him. Now he’s an active in sports leagues, he’s mentoring younger members and offering counsel and an ear to others who may share some of his struggles. He was selected to lead his Keystone Club as president and he’s invested more than 700 hours of service into the community.
Despite taking time out of school for treatments, he returned to an online school to catch up and get ahead. Today, he’s planning to graduate from Deer Valley High School and he’s already earned scholarships from Arizona State University. He plans to study sociology with the hope that he will work to help other youth with mental illness in the future.
“Cyrus and all Youth of the Year nominees embody the best of what Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix gives to our youth and their families. Their stories of personal achievement – overcoming shyness, bullying, health challenges, and so much more – demonstrate the critical need among today’s youth for empowering programs, delivered by trained staff, to help children develop into strong, resilient adults,” said Marcia Mintz, president and CEO, BGCMP. “Being named Youth of the Year is a lifelong honor. We need young people like Cyrus sharing how the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix helped him to achieve his personal and academic goals, and how he plans to give back in the future!”
Next week, Cyrus will join other Youth of the Year from Clubs around the state of Arizona to compete for the State Youth of the Year title.
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