Boys & Girls Club Blog

The Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh is pleased to announce the 2021 Youth of the Year winner – Lonzo Alvarado. Each year a local Youth of the Year committee interviews a number of high school students at the Club. They are judged on their service to their Club, community, and family, academic success, strong moral character, life goals, and poise and public speaking ability. The teen who scores highest in these areas is chosen as the Youth of the Year winner for the organization.

In December 2020, Lonzo competed against four other local Club members for the title and ultimately won. As the Oshkosh Club’s 2021 Youth of the Year, Lonzo was awarded a $10,000 scholarship from the Boys & Girls Club’s Charles F. Hyde, Jr. Youth of the Year Scholarship Endowment.

From here, Youth of the Year winners from local Boys & Girls Clubs across the state will compete virtually for the state title in March instead of traveling to Madison to compete. Lonzo will compete against more than ten other Club members for the title of Wisconsin State Youth of the Year. If he wins the state title, Lonzo would also receive a $5,000 scholarship from BGCA and Disney and a $1,500 scholarship from the Boys & Girls Clubs Wisconsin Area Council.

Lonzo is a senior at Oshkosh North High School and plans to pursue higher education at Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton to prepare for a career as an entrepreneur and eventually transfer to the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.

Lonzo plans on using his platform to help other youth. Lonzo said, “What matters to me the most is that I want to achieve my dreams and I want to see other young people or youth just like me, achieve their dreams too. Many of the youth that attend the Club come from unfortunate circumstances. My passion is to help make the world a better place especially for the future generations. All youth are important and deserve a chance to achieve their dreams, especially the ones who didn’t have control of their life growing up or are struggling to control their life now. By sharing my story, I want to help motivate other youth to have a goal and work on achieving that goal. I want to see everyone succeed.”

Lonzo has been involved in the Club in many ways throughout the years while staying on track to graduate high school, working two jobs and owning his own business. Lonzo serves as the Vice President of Keystone, a nationally recognized youth leadership Club, he is involved in the Club’s Mentoring Program, is an active member in field trips to experience new things, speaks as a Club Ambassador to local companies and helps with service projects.

In Lonzo’s own words, “I believe that being a part of the Club over the years has truly made me a better person. It serves as a stepping stone for many young people, even those whose life may be better or worse than mine. The Club has been one of the best things to ever happen to me and I will never forget that. They have truly helped to kickstart my future, as well as my siblings’ future, and I am so grateful for that.”

Teen Center Program Director added, “Lonzo is determined, hardworking, kind, and always willing to help others. Lonzo has many leadership qualities that will help him be successful in running his own business as well as his ability to be resilient.”

Please join the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oshkosh in congratulating Lonzo in all his accomplishments and Youth of the Year title.

Thank you to this year’s Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh Youth of the Year Judging Committee:

Peg Wachtel, Paula Morgan (ThedaCare), Julie Jackson (Amcor), Christina Keller (JJ Keller), Chris Golem (Atlas), Kyle Laedtke (CR Meyer), and Kim Underhill (Kimberly-Clark).

For more information on the Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh, please contact the Club at (920) 233-1414, visit the Club online at www.bgcosh.org or find the Club on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, (@BGCOsh), YouTube or LinkedIn.