HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – A junior at Bedford High School has been named Hanscom’s 2020 Youth of the Year.
Zack Fernandez will be the first member to receive the honor two consecutive years.
“To earn the title back-to-back years while representing Hanscom is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Fernandez. “I’m honored to be a spokesperson for military youth.”
Fernandez has been a member of the 66th Force Support Squadron Youth Center since 2013, and has been an active participant in the Keystone Club. The club, which serves as a teen leadership group for ages 13 to 18, focuses on four main areas: academic success, career preparation, community service and engaging teens.
“I couldn’t be more proud of Zack in seeing the growth he’s made in the past year,” said Justin Oliver, the teen coordinator for Youth Programs. “His leadership skills and ability to speak in front of others has grown tremendously in that time, and I see a confidence in him that will only get stronger.”
Fernandez will now go on to compete for the Massachusetts and National Military Youth of the Year. A component of the Boys and Girls Club of America, the program recognizes a military installation Youth Center member who has overcome hardships while demonstrating exceptional character and accomplishments.
In his essay for the award, Fernandez, who is dyslexic, wrote about his personal challenges as well as the struggle to “fit in” as a military child. He credits the team at the Hanscom Youth Center for helping him find his place.
“Hanscom let me know that anyone can be accepted,” he wrote. “Being a military child comes with many challenges, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
Fernandez serves as the vice president and treasurer of the Keystone Club, and stays active in the community through volunteerism and service projects. He wants to dedicate at least 200 more hours before graduating from BHS and beginning his education as a radiologist at Middlesex Community College.
“I’ve learned a lot about myself this past year just by meeting other people and listening to their stories,” he said. “Every day is an opportunity to grow, and there’s nothing to lose."