NC Youth of the Year: 2013

Ja’Lynn Gray: 2013 North Carolina Youth of the Year

The 2013 North Carolina Youth of the Year Celebration was held in Wilmington on April 5-6. After a two-day selection process, it was announced that our 2013 Youth of the Year is Ja’Lynn Gray with The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Charlotte.

Ja’Lynn grew up in a single-parent home with her brother, who was also born when their mother was just a teenager herself. The family certainly endured various challenges and struggles over the years, as well as the tough neighborhoods where they lived in Charlotte. Even though she experienced these tough times, her mother says “that Ja’Lynn never used bad times as a crutch or excuse for poor performance. She has always dedicated 110% to everything she’s done.” This is evident in her many accomplishments.

As an eleven-year member of the Marsh Road Boys & Girls Club, she found an extended family that provided the additional support and guidance that she was seeking. She participated in nearly every program the Club offered including SMART Moves, Goals for Graduation, Money Matters, SMART Girls, Triple Play, etc. She also was a member of the Junior Staff, where she planned and facilitated various programs such as arts and crafts, Power Hour, SMART Moves and Street SMART. Ja’Lynn also advanced through the Sunbeam and Girl Guard programs offered by The Salvation Army. Though the Club clearly had an impact in her life, it is also clear that she has also had a major impact in her Club through her engagement and leadership.

Her dedication and success at the Club also transferred to her work in school. She is currently a senior at Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology where she maintains a 4.20 GPA and remains in the top 10% of her class! While maintaining her academic performance, she has also been very involved in extracurricular activities at her school. Ja’Lynn served as Vice President of her freshman class, President of her Junior Class and now is the Executive Council Parliamentarian. As an active member of their NAACP school chapter, she spearheaded an event called “Pizza and Politics,” where students discussed in a town hall forum the issues impacting them. She also has maintained membership in not only the National Honor Society, but the National Technical Honor Society which requires members to maintain over a 3.5 GPA. Even with all these activities at her Club and school, she also made time to play on the school’s softball team.

Ja’Lynn uses some her “free” time to also participate in community service projects through her membership with the Delta Juniors. They have completed projects such as community clean-ups, tutoring, mentoring experiences, and visitations. Recently, she became a Delta Debutante, which includes additional community service projects. Ja’Lynn is also active in her church from singing in the gospel choir to being part of the liturgical dance team.

Her current plans are to graduate from the University of Virginia with a degree in nursing and be in the top 5% of her class. Ja’Lynn will be the first person in her family to ever attend college. During her undergraduate studies, she also hopes to spend some time studying abroad in Europe. She will then apply to UNC Chapel Hill to seek her graduate degree in nursing. Finally, she w
ill seek an internship experience at Duke University’s Research Hospital. In ten years, her vision is to be “financially stable, traveling the world and have the ability to support her family in every way.”

She ends her Youth of the Year essay with “The Club is a precious, timeless treasure that each kid should have a chance to experience, because the adventure is truly breathtaking and life changing. There is no true measurement to define my gratitude, but for everything, I simply and sincerely say ‘thank you.’” We are thankful that Ja’Lynn is such a great representative for all the Boys & Girls Club members in North Carolina!