Northeast region military youth of the year named

  • Published
  • By Ann-Marie Ely
  • 66th Force Support Squadron Youth Center
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  A soon-to-be Alabama State University freshmen and Massachusetts Military Youth of the Year, Tia McKinney-Burgess, recently competed in New York City at the regional Boys and Girls Club of America Military Youth of the Year competition.

During her speech to the judges during the Regional competition last week in New York City, McKinney-Burgess said the Boys and Girls Club for her is a place where she has big brothers, big sisters, little brothers, little sisters, mother and father-like figures that help her through life.

"It's my home away from home," she said.

Although not selected, McKinney-Burgess said the experience was something she'll never forget and is grateful for the opportunity.

Selected as the Northeast Region Military Youth of the Year was Brandon Shields; a recent high school graduate from Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

Shields will go on to represent the Northeast region at the national Military Youth of the Year competition in Washington D.C. this September.

The Boys and Girls Club assists kids transitioning from one part of their life to the next or in the military families' case, from one base to the next.

Through education and career, character and leadership, health and life skills, and sports and recreation, each youth that walks through the Boys and Girls Club door is transformed by not only the programs that are run, but through the relationships they have with other youth, as well as staff members.

Each year the Boys and Girls Club conducts a youth of the year competition where outstanding youth from each club submit a package with a compilation of their experiences which includes content on their family life, leadership, overcoming obstacles, community service and school. Youth then are judged with other teens ages 14 through 18 at the local club, state, regional, military, and national levels.

This year, the competition included a Military Youth of the Year component.

Each base submitted a youth to the state level competition at which they will be judged with other military base winners. Each state's military youth of the year winner will go on to represent their state at the regional level.

This past week, Tia Mckinney-Burgess represented Hanscom and Massachusetts as a representative for the military category. McKinney was selected as the Massachusetts's recipient in May at a ceremony at Gillette.

For winning the northeast region, Shields has received a total of $11,000 in scholarship money from Tupperware Brands and the Goings Foundation and has the potential to receive an additional $50,000 if he is named the Boys and Girls Club National Youth of the Year.

For Hanscom youth interested in becoming a member of the Youth Center and participating in the Youth of the Year program, or knowing more about what the Hanscom Boys and Girls Club can do for you, stop by the Youth Center.