EAST SENIOR WENDY ADAME IS CLUBS' YOUTH OF THE YEAR

Wendy Adame, a senior at East and member of the Ray Aguilera Teen Clubhouse based at Central, was honored as Youth of the Year by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Pueblo County.

 

The award was presented at the 2023 Champions of Youth Dinner Thursday at the Pueblo Convention Center.

 

As Youth of the Year, Wendy is awarded a full ride scholarship to Colorado State University Pueblo.

 

In her address before the hundreds gathered for the gala, Wendy – with more than a decade of Club membership – praised the support she found through the Boys and Girls Clubs for lifting her out of a depressive state.

 

“I was always told what I should be in the future,” Wendy said. “A doctor, president, astronaut. But I realized that those weren’t my dreams. I was in a cycle where I was pleasing others and as a result, my mental health deteriorated significantly. I was losing sight of who I was.”

 

The hopelessness and dark storm clouds began to overtake her life, until she found purpose and meaning in the Boys and Girls Clubs.

 

“Do you remember the days when the sky cleared and the sun shined? I certainly do and today, I will bring you through my journey. Even when I thought the clouds would never clear, the sun came and shined a light so bright it not only cleared the rain in my home, but in my mind,” she said.

 

“My warmth was the Boys and Girls Club, where I could be out of the environment where I couldn’t think clearly.

 

Programs like Draw the Line, Respect the Line, Money Matters, and Career Readiness gave me the option to see clearly what I wanted: instead of what others wanted for me.”

 

For six years, Jessikah Campbell served as Wendy’s mentor.

 

“She helped give me the opportunity to take a breath and relax: a vacation,” Wendy said. “Although I was constantly changing what I wanted to do with my life, she always gave me the opportunity to dream what I wanted to do because the world is too small to dream the dreams of others.

 

“I never knew that just by talking to someone, it would lead you to a path where the sun would shine a little brighter each and every day: as long as you are willing take the covers off.”

 

Wendy now wants to be that light for others.

 

“My goal is to travel the world while working for international business. I want to help connect trading routes to low-income communities to help their overall well being. I want to show others that despite being stuck in the dark, the sun will shine for a better future.”

 

In all, nearly 80 Club kids were honored for achievements in Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles, and Good Character and Leadership.

 

Receiving the Grand Champion of Youth award was the Board of Pueblo County Commissioners.

 

Pueblo Urban Renewal Authority served as the gala's Presenting Sponsor, with the Garone Nicksich Foundation (Signature Sponsor) and Black Hills Energy and CSU Pueblo (Platinum Sponsors) also top-tier benefactors.

 

Kid of the Year: Kyri Elizalde

Kid of the Year: Alondra Lopez

Kid of the Year: Aaron Secora

Academic Success: Omar Juarez

Academic Success: Winter Guidry

Good Character and Leadership: Norah Huang

Good Character and Leadership: Vincent Rodriguez

Healthy Lifestyles: Brianna Gomez

Healthy Lifestyles: Carlos Alarcon

 

Kid of the Year: Sophia Boydstun

Kid of the Year: Zoey Calderon

Kid of the Year: Josue Alardin

Academic Success: Sofia Alardin

Academic Success: Landen Boydstun

Good Character and Leadership: Makynli Andrade

Good Character and Leadership: Austin Mairot

Healthy Lifestyles: Dylan Arreola

Healthy Lifestyles: Christopher Pineda

 

Kid of the Year: Avery Allendorf

Kid of the Year: Lukas Gonzales

Kid of the Year: Isaac Armijo

Academic Success: Nicole Balderas-Perez

Academic Success: Lukas Lucero

Good Character and Leadership: Charleigh Morris

Good Character and Leadership: Jayson Ruybal

Healthy Lifestyles: Juan Moya

Healthy Lifestyles: Chase Pineda

 

Academic Success: Khylieandra Montoya

Academic Success: Jack Montoya

Good Character and Leadership: Raheem Dillard

Good Character and Leadership: Elaine Tennant

Healthy Lifestyles: Sylvia Tennant

Healthy Lifestyles: Audie Baros

 

Junior Youth of the Year: Zalyiz Martinez

Junior Youth of the Year: Esme Godsey

Kid of the Year: Daisy Arreola

Kid of the Year: Zayviana Martinez

Kid of the Year: Steven Passig

Academic Success: Aryan Magallanes

Academic Success: Efren Loya

Good Character and Leadership: Camden Gallup

Good Character and Leadership: Nevaeh Kalanquin

Healthy Lifestyles: Geovanny Arreola

Healthy Lifestyles: Fernanda Garcia

 

Junior Youth of the Year: Matthew Murillo

Junior Youth of the Year: Adbeel Murillo

Junior Youth of the Year: Fynleigh Dorsey

Kid of the Year: Keno Bollacker

Kid of the Year: Raylei Vasquez

Kid of the Year: Nala Aleman

Academic Success: Yareli Kramer

Academic Success: Dominic Johnson

Good Character and Leadership: Kayliana Heredia

Good Character and Leadership: Elijah Lopez

Healthy Lifestyles: Isaac Benavidez

Healthy Lifestyles: Piper Dorsey

 

Junior Youth of the Year: Alesia Gonzales

Junior Youth of the Year: Zachary Whitaker

Junior Youth of the Year: Shea Ortmann

Kid of the Year: Fernanda Ortega

Kid of the Year: Mireya Hernandez-Badillo

Kid of the Year: Valeena Velasquez

Academic Success: Ihan Guerrero

Academic Success: Jacobi Rhyme

Good Character and Leadership: Halo Wishart

Good Character and Leadership: Marisol Cherry

Healthy Lifestyles: Stacianna Allen

Healthy Lifestyles: Adan Mendoza

 

Kid of the Year: Zachariah Buchard

Kid of the Year: Iker Garcia

Kid of the Year: Yaretzi Perez

Academic Success: Violet Grein

Academic Success: Noam McGaugh

Good Character and Leadership: Carter Haesnitch

Good Character and Leadership: Kreena Adams

Healthy Lifestyles: Keanu Murray

Healthy Lifestyles: Justus Boyd