Category Events

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Grand Rapids announced Jacqueline Calderon (18 years old) as the 2022 Youth of the Year. Calderon received $1,000 in scholarships from presenting sponsor Lake Michigan Credit Union after competing among other Grand Rapids-based youth.

The Youth of the Year is an annual event that honors exceptional Club members who display outstanding character and leadership skills, excel academically, and who give back to their communities. It is the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s premier recognition program that celebrates young people ages 14-18 for their commitment to community service, academic success, good character and citizenship, and establishing long-term goals.

“The Clubs has certainly impacted my life. It’s given me a chance to discover a few things I probably would not have discovered if I had not stepped through those doors. I’ve learned about parts of me I never knew existed and have grown as a leader,” said Calderon. “As the Youth of the Year, I believe I can represent the youth of America by showing what it’s like to see everyone and anyone as who they are authentically. I want to demonstrate that we can make this world a better place together. I appreciate this opportunity to share what I believe in with my community.”

Calderon competed among four other youth including: Earnest Robinson, Javeonn Morgan, and Justyce McIntosh. Each candidate will receive $500 in scholarships for their participation, courtesy of Lake Michigan Credit Union.

“Being named Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Club member can receive and we are so proud of Jackie for earning this prestigious title,” said Patrick Placzkowski, the CEO of the BGCGR. “Every child has a home at the Boys & Girls Clubs and we are humbled that they choose to spend their time with us. We remain committed to preparing each youth for their bright futures and cannot wait to see what they accomplish.”   

The Youth of the Year was determined by a panel of judges. Judges reviewed applications, speeches, interviews and rated criteria based on home & family, moral character, community, school, service to the Club, life goals and obstacles overcome. The mission of the BGCGR is to enhance the character of youth through recreation, education and other positive experiences in partnership with the Grand Rapids Police Department.

This summer marks the end of an era at the Seidman Center as longtime GRPD officer Michael Harris is retiring after 25 years of service.  Harris, a fixture at the Boys and Girls Club, was one of three officers from the community engagement unit of the GRPD assigned to the organization.

For Officer Harris, this role was all about relationships- with fellow officers, with community partners, but most importantly, with the kids.

Reflecting on his years of service, Officer Harris emphasizes the role Officer Percy Brown, his mentor and predecessor at the Seidman Center.

“Before I came on as the Officer at the Seidman Center, I used to volunteer as a coach in the building. It was Officer Percy Brown who convinced me to come on the community engagement team and work with the young people at the Boys & Girls Clubs in an official capacity.”

It was this pivotal moment that determined the course of his career with the GRPD, a moment that Officer Harris describes as a “work of God.”

 “Building relationships between police departments and communities is so important,” Harris remarked. “I think I had so much success in this role because I can relate so well to these kids. When I see these kids at the club, it’s like looking in a mirror.” Harris went on to describe his upbringing in Grand Rapids and his deep conviction to give back to his community.

His decision to give back to our community’s young people was of immense consequence.

His long and successful career is a testament to the impact that meaningful partnerships between police departments and the community can have in the lives of young people. Throughout the years, Officer Harris designed innovative programs, mentored hundreds of children and leveraged his deep roots in the community to enrich the lives of our members.

Officer Harris’ sports programs instilled character values that continue to reverberate throughout the community. His programs promoted discipline, academic excellence and were committed to helping our members become well rounded individuals.

“We put teams together for both boys and girls of all ages. We got the kids national exposure, and many of them took their careers to the next level,” Mike said about the sports programs he led at the club.

Beyond the sports programs, Officer Harris made it his mission to build relationships between young people and the Grand Rapids Police Department through the creation of programs like Pathways to Policing. This program and others like it give the kids hands on training in police work and exposed them to the daily life of a police officer.

“It’s critical that kids understand that cops are just people out there trying to do the right thing and vice versa.” Harris said.  

While we are grateful for Officer Harris’ service to the Boys and Girls Clubs and our continuing relationship with the Grand Rapids Police Department, we are thrilled about Officer Harris’ new role in the organization. Officer Harris has agreed to come on as a part time youth development professional where he’ll continue the critical work he’s been doing for so long. And with Officer Harris departing his official role with the Grand Rapids Police Department, we are excited to build on the legacies of Officers Harris and Brown with the new officer that the GRPD assigns to the Seidman Center.

With the continued support of the GRPD, we will work together to build enduring relationships and sustainable programs between the police and our community.

Best wishes to Officer Harris!

Photos by: Kymara Stevenson

On Tuesday, March 10, nearly 300 people filled the room at our 2020 Youth of the Year Luncheon to support our four candidates – Larissa Clay, Dymond Cummings, Marvin Johnson and Myaja Dunning. These young people all did an amazing job over the past few months preparing essays and speeches, and sharing their stories with hundreds of supporters.

We proudly announced our 2020 Youth of the Year winner… Myaja Dunning!

The luncheon raised more than $60,000 to go toward programming and other important needs at our Clubs. We couldn’t be more grateful for the outpouring of support to provide kids in our community a safe place to go after school where they can get the support, encouragement and resources they need to reach their full potential.

Thank you to our sponsors: Lake Michigan Credit Union, Meijer, First National Bank of Michigan, Kitchen 67, Redi Rental, Eastern Floral, Malone IT, and Studio Phrene.
Thank you to our judges: Don Bratt, Brenda Duong, Monica Sparks and Trey Conner.
Also thank you to the Peter C. and Emajean Cook Foundation for their generous matching challenge gift, and to Monica Sparks for her keynote speech!