Zion Neverson Named 2019 Youth of the Year
Selected among seven outstanding teen members, Zion Neverson is the 2019 Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond Youth of the Year, the organization announced during a celebration on February 27. The Youth of the Year title is a prestigious honor bestowed upon an exemplary young person in recognition of leadership, service and academic excellence.
With his platform as Youth of the Year, Zion hopes to use his voice to inspire his peers to believe in themselves, go after their dreams, and make change in the world for the next generation.
Now in its 72nd year, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Youth of the Year program honors our nation’s most awe-inspiring young people and encourages them to lead, succeed and inspire. Zion is moving on to the statewide Youth of the Year competition after being selected by a panel of judges. Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond plays host to the Virginia State Youth of the Year competition in April. Last year, Rodesha Smith from the Northside Club won the Virginia State Youth of the Year competition and represented Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond in the Southeast Region.
“Zion is an outstanding leader and a wonderful young man,” said Todd McFarlane, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond. “We’re proud to have Zion represent our Southside Club and our organization at the state competition.”
Zion has been a member of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond for the last seven years. In addition to Youth of the Year programming, Zion has taken on a leadership role at the Southside Club. He helps prepare and serve meals for his fellow members during Kid’s Café. Though the Keystone Club, a teen club dedicated to leadership and service, Zion participates in numerous community service projects and recently attended a leadership conference with his peers from around the nation. In 2016, the Club gave Neverson the opportunity to participate in the Mayor’s Youth Academy, which serves youth, ages 14-19, and is designed to develop Richmond’s future leaders.
Outside of the Club, Zion is a senior in high school with a 4.0 grade point average (GPA). He serves as a math tutor and he’s described as an excellent role model for younger students. He’s also active in the local community through Awana, a Christian youth organization, helping with food drives, community carnivals and other outreach programs. Zion plans to attend college in locally to study sociology, with a minor in child development. He hopes to one day earn a master’s degree and become a school counselor. His ultimate goal is to start a Charter School for under-resourced students and help put them on a path to college.
“The other Youth of the Year helped and encouraged me alot. Really, this is an award not just for me, but for them also.”
In total, there were seven candidates for Youth of the Year and seven members who were Junior Youth of the Year. We are proud of all of our these young leaders across our Clubs.
2019 BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF METRO RICHMOND YOUTH OF THE YEAR PARTICIPANTS
Harmoni Bolling, Youth of the Year, Petersburg Club
Kwelasia Graves, Youth of the Year, Southside Club
Jamar Harrington, Junior Youth of the Year, Fairfield Court Club
Amya Herring, Junior Youth of the Year, Petersburg Club
Regan Hudson-Johnson, Junior Youth of the Year, Northside Club
A’Landa Macklin, Junior Youth of the Year, Southside Club
TaDreama McBride, Junior Youth of the Year, Northside Club
Destiny McKiver, Junior Youth of the Year, Fairfield Court Club
Zion Neverson, Youth of the Year, Southside Club
Jaesean Plummer, Youth of the Year, Northside Club
Jada Rives, Youth of the Year, Petersburg Club
Jasimine Scott, Youth of the Year, Fairfield Court Club
Keira Vincent, Youth of the Year, Northside Club
Saniyah Williams, Junior Youth of the Year, Petersburg Club
Learn more about how Clubs create leadership opportunities for every young person who comes through our doors.