We are so proud of our very own, Junior Zoey Hinojosa, for winning the Arkansas Youth of the Year Award for the Boys and Girls Club! Zoey is the first state winner to come from Pea Ridge. She said that being a part of the Boys and Girls Club has taught her about leadership and helped with character development.
Zoey first competed in Benton County, where she won 1st place. This allowed her to move on to compete at the state level. She said that you had to write three different essays: one about what matters to you, one about personal growth, and one about club experience. She also had to compose a resume and cover letter and get letters of recommendation. At the state level, she had to give a 3-minute speech, followed by a 12-minute interview.
When asked what it means to receive this award, Zoey said, “It’s an honor to win this award. I didn’t expect to win being a 16-year-old junior. It will be a huge help when it comes to paying for college. I also got to network with people in the capital, and it’s opening up a lot of opportunities for me. And honestly, it was a lot of fun.” She said the judges told her afterwards that they were impressed with her confidence and how she owned the room. Winning this award, which includes a $2,500 scholarship, allowed Zoey to meet with Governor Sanders as well as with other state representatives (seen below with state Sen. Josh Bryant and state Rep. Austin McCollum while in Little Rock accepting her award). Zoey said what she enjoys most about being involved with the Boys and Girls Club is being able to mentor younger students and help the directors and staff out when they need it.
