For Michael G., it was the moment his mom dropped him off at the True Value Boys & Girls Club at 6 years old that unlocked, as Michael put it, opportunities of a lifetime.

All those opportunities culminated in one magical evening this month when Michael G. was named 2025 Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago (BGCC) Youth of the Year.

“Without the Club I wouldn’t be here in this moment,” Michael said during his speech at the Navy Pier Aon Ballroom on March 6 during BGCC’s Youth of the Year Competition and Dinner.

As the oldest child in a single-parent household, Michael credits his Club for giving him a space where he could escape the hardships at home and come out of his shell.

He learned how to swim, built meaningful relationships during robotics, and discovered he wanted to own a business when he grows up through his experience BGCC’s entrepreneurship program, StartUp LaunchPad.

“It made me want to make my way into the entrepreneurship world one day,” Michael said. “As a future business owner, I want to help dig my family out of financial hardship and create stability.”

Youth of the Year is BGCC’s signature effort to foster a new generation of leaders by recognizing the academic achievements and service of exceptional Club members, ages 14-18, and their outstanding character and leadership qualities.

Four other finalists, including Antonella (Alcott Club), Azariah (Chicago Bulls College Prep Club), who was named the runner-up, Madison (James R. Jordan Club), and Michael R. (Rusu-McCartin Club), joined Michael G. on stage.

The five finalists were narrowed down from 10 candidates, all coming from different BGCC Clubs across the city. All 10 candidates were awarded the Youth of the Year prize package, which included a $1,000 Craig Martin Scholarship and contributions from all eight of Chicago’s sports teams, as well as tickets to NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race, Six Flags Great America, Navy Pier, and Flyover Chicago. They also received a Lenovo laptop courtesy of CDW.

In addition to those amazing experiences, the runner-up and winner received $5,000 and $10,000 scholarships from the Frederick and Helen Nichols Fund at the Chicago Community Trust. As the winner, Michael also received two round-trip tickets courtesy of United Airlines, the official airline of Youth of the Year, along with a year’s worth of pizza, courtesy of Papa Johns.

Because of his Club, Michael, like the other finalists on stage, discovered his passions. During his speech, he shared how the programs he participated in helped him build confidence and develop problem-solving skills, whether it was playing chess with staff members, learning coding in robotics, or just helping younger Club members with their homework.

“I want to thank the True Value Boys & Girls Club for being a resource for my mom, for offering me a path to find who I am, and helping me build a version of myself that I can take into my next chapter,” Michael said.

Watch Michael G. on Chicago's news stations!

Support tomorrow's leaders today – donate below!