GREENWICH — The Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich's 2024 Youth of the Year just received a step up — he is now the 2024 Youth of the Year for the state.
Greenwich High School senior Omar Badr accepts his Youth of the Year award at the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich Youth of the Year presentation at Hyatt Regency Greenwich in Old Greenwich, Conn. April 3, 2024.
Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media
After being chosen BCGC's Youth of the Year, Omar Badr, a Greenwich High School senior, had to compete against 13 other teens from Boys and Girls Clubs across the state for the title.
"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," a statement about the competition said.
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Badr, who is going to the main campus of the University of Connecticut to study engineering next year, will receive a $2,500 college scholarship from Boys & Girls Clubs of America. He will also serve as an ambassador for teens in the state and will advance to the regional competition.
“I moved from Brooklyn to Greenwich at the end of fourth grade, and that same week, my mother signed me up to attend the Boys & Girls Club,” said Badr. “Since that first day, BGCG has shaped my life and helped make me the person I have become. The various programs I attended combined with the mentors I’ve had have shaped me and given me valuable skills. Most of all, the club has helped me discover my passion of helping others.”
This summer, Badr will join other Youth of the Year designees to compete for the Northeast regional title. If he wins this, Badr will get an additional $20,000 college scholarship and move on to the National Youth of the Year event in September where five finalists and the National Military Youth of the Year will compete for the National Youth of the Year title.
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The National Youth of the Year will receive an additional college scholarship of $50,000 and a new Toyota Corolla.
"Omar’s achievement is not just a personal triumph, but a testament to the potential and success that can be found within our youth," said Cristina Vittoria, chief executive officer of BGCG, in a statement. "He is a shining example for our younger members, proving that great futures start at BGCG.”
