Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year Award Presented by Sunmark

Sunmark Congratulates Jahniqua Gilmore who was awarded the Youth of the Year Award from the Boys and Girls Club of the Capital Region presented by Sunmark, and the Sunmark Charitable Community Foundation. Sunmark was pleased to present Jahniqua Gilmore and runner-up Rufus Hanh Nguyen-McDowell, with a cash award for their achievement.

Rufus Hanh Nguyen-McDowell is a proud alum of the Boys and Girls Club of the Capital Area. A member since he was five years old, Rufus has made lifelong friendships and found a love for STEM at the Boys and Girls Club. Rufus has helped install the Troy Clubhouse Playground, taught bike repair at the Troy Bike Rescue, and is now working in the BGCCA food program. This Fall, Rufus will begin studying Mechanical Engineering as a Presidential Scholar of the University at Buffalo. His thanks go out to Pat Doyle, Latoya "T" Anderson, every counselor, and Sunmark for supporting his development and education.

Jahniqua Gilmore is going to be a senior at Troy Prep High School and enjoys playing volleyball and giving back to her community. She loves to write stories and sing in her choir. Her dream is to just be as successful as possible and help others achieve their dreams. She will make it her mission to represent all youth by giving a voice to society voiceless. Her thanks go out to the Ford’s, the mentors of Team Hero, and the staff and volunteers at the club that push her to reach new heights.

Jahniqua will be representing the Capital Region at the New York State Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year competition. Each year, thousands of Club teens participate in local, state, and regional Youth of the Year events. Six teens, including five regional winners and a national military youth winner, advance to Washington, D.C., for the National Youth of the Year Gala & Celebration Dinner, where one outstanding young person is named Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s national teen spokesperson.