MARSHFIELD, MA… The Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield announces Matthew Roosevelt, a senior at Rising Tide Charter Public School and a Marshfield resident, as 2024 Youth of the Year.
“Youth of the Year” is the highest honor bestowed upon Boys & Girls Club members. Each year, the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield, a youth development organization providing programs and services to children and families throughout the greater South Shore community, selects one exceptional Club member as Youth of the Year to serve as an ambassador for the Club’s youth as well as a voice for all young people.
This year, a total of 11 individuals were nominated for the Boys and Girls Club of Marshfield’s 2024 Youth of the Year. Eight nominees accepted their nomination and seven completed anonymous essays. Five finalists were then selected: Matthew Roosevelt, Lucas Chiano, Caitlin Scully and Anabel Apgar of Marshfield, and Michael O’Malley who is a resident of Duxbury.
The finalists were interviewed by a panel of community and board members including: Alexa Schnauck, former Business Director for the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield; Mike Vercollone and Peter Brown, Board Members of the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield; Patti Mullee, Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield Volunteer and Pickleball enthusiast; Peter Cook, Founder and President of Cook Family Foundation; and Jacqueline Rodrick, a former Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield member and staff member, who was the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield’s 2019 Youth of the Year and the 2019 Massachusetts State Youth of the Year.
“Becoming Youth of the Year was such a life changing experience for me: it felt like a full circle moment- and an honor- to help select the next Youth advocate for the Boys and Girls Club of Marshfield,” said Jacqueline Roderick, Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield and Massachusetts State Youth of the Year 2019.
A Club kid from the age of five, Roosevelt has been working at the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield for the past four years as After School Staff as well as Summer Camp Counselor.
Roosevelt intends to pursue either Special Education or Criminology to become a Police Officer. He will attend Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire in the fall.
A Youth of the Year candidate embodies the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s three priority outcome areas of Academic Success, Good Character and living a Healthy Lifestyle. The National Youth of the Year serves as a role model and spokesperson for America’s youth. They educate millions of Americans about the power of the Club Experience and elevate the national focus on key issues facing children and teens.
Roosevelt and other Youth of the Year representatives will attend state, regional and national events under the direction of Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) staff. They will serve as thought leaders on key issues by telling their inspiring personal stories.
“Matthew has exceptional leadership ability and is an outstanding role model,” said Jim Bunnell, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield. “We’re very pleased to recognize Matthew as the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield’s 2024 Youth of the Year! We wish him every success in the future.”
About Youth of the Year Program
For more than 70 years, the Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year program has honored and celebrated the nation’s most inspiring teens and their incredible journeys. Stories of outstanding leadership, service, academic excellence and dedication to living a healthy lifestyle have made Youth of the Year America’s premier leadership and recognition program for teens. These amazing young people represent the voice and spirit of hope for America.
About the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield
The Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield’s mission is to enable and inspire all young people to realize their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens as well as become tomorrow’s capable leaders. The Club provides programming opportunities in the Boys & Girls Club of America’s (BGCA) five core areas including leadership, education, health, arts, and fitness. The Club serves families with children ranging in age from 5 to 18 years old, and provides critical services the community needs to support children and families over the short- and long-term. For more information, visit their website www.bgcmarshfield.org or call 781-834-2582.
PHOTO CAPTION: Matthew Roosevelt, the Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield’s 2024 Youth of the Year
