2022 youth of the year

Ryan, a Club member since the age of 5, plans on continuing his education in the medical field and to spend his career offering what he found at his Boys & Girls Club – people who care.  Ryan has seen firsthand the difference guidance and caring for others can make. He says, “Everybody has the ability to make the right decision, but sometimes they need a positive influence to guide them in the right direction.”  

At the Club, he found his positive influence in Club staff, especially his mentor, Erik Hibit. From elementary to high school, Ryan spent his after-school time involved in Club programming, from his early days playing in Club leagues to joining the teen leadership program as a CIT. He calls volunteering second nature – “as Club members, we are all expected to understand the meaning and the impact it brings to our community” – and credits his experience at the Club with helping him develop a sense of compassion, understanding and how to lead by example.