Trinity Burton set to receive college scholarship and vie for regional title this summer, March 19

B&GC release – [Coos Bay, OR], [3/18/2019] – Selected among 73,000 outstanding youth, Trinity Burton has been named the Oregon Youth of the Year by Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The Youth of the Year title is a prestigious honor bestowed upon an exemplary young person in recognition of leadership, service, academic excellence and dedication to live a healthy lifestyle. Now in its 72nd year, the Youth of the Year program honors our nation’s most awe-inspiring young people on their path to great futures and encourages all kids to lead, succeed and inspire. As the Oregon Youth of the Year, Trinity will serve as an ambassador for all teens in the state, will receive a $5,000 college scholarship from Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and will go on to contend for the regional Youth of the Year and ultimately the national title. Trinity is one of the reported 22,000 youth in Oregon facing homelessness this year. She is the oldest of five siblings, and began attending the Boys & Girls Club of Southwestern Oregon when she was 8 years old. As a teen she became an integral part of the club’s character and leadership programs, leading a panel discussion between teens and law enforcement, and spending countless hours giving back to her Club and community. She represented the Club in Chicago, IL, in 2017 at the National Keystone Conference, promoting a judgement free generation. In 2018, she assisted in partnering with Banner Bank to bring the Money Matters Financial Literacy course to teens in our area. Trinity was a varsity Cross-Country athlete at North Bend High School and was chosen to represent our community in an international meet in Australia in 2016, before a spine injury prevented her from continuing in athletics. Trinity transferred to Winter Lakes High School in Coquille, Ore., where she has excelled in academics, earning college credits in addition to her high school course. She plans to continue at Southwestern Oregon Community College after high school, pursuing an Oregon Transfer degree. She will begin an internship with the Child Evangelism Fellowship this summer, where she will continue her passion for shaping the next generation. As Oregon Youth of the Year, Trinity will advocate for afterschool programming for all youth in the United States. “We are incredibly proud of Trinity and all the Youth of the Year nominees,” said Jim Clark, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America.  “Being named Youth of the Year is a lifelong honor. As the Oregon Youth of the Year, Trinity will serve as a spokesperson for Boys & Girls Club kids across the state who need more role models that they can admire and emulate.” Founded more than seventy years ago in 1947 as Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s premier youth recognition program, Youth of the Year recognizes outstanding contributions to a member’s family, school, community and Boys & Girls Club. The Youth of the Year recognition program is presented by The Walt Disney Company, who has supported Boys & Girls Clubs of America for more than 50 years, empowering young people to reach their full potential and providing youth with access to the tools they need to build the great futures they imagine. Toyota is the Signature Sponsor of the national Youth of the Year program. This summer, Trinity will join other state winners to vie for the Pacific regional title. If named the regional winner, she will be awarded an additional $10,000 college scholarship, renewable for four years up to $40,000. Six youth, including five regional winners and a military youth winner, will advance to Washington, D.C. in September 2019, to compete for the title of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Youth of the Year. The National Youth of the Year will receive an additional scholarship of $25,000, renewable for four years up to $100,000. For more information about the Youth of the Year program, visit www.youthoftheyear.org.