Greyhound freshman swimmer named Boys & Girls Club National Youth of the Year

The Boys & Girls Club of America has named Assumption College freshman student-athlete CAROLINA CORREA the National Youth-of-the Year. Correa will serve a one-year term as the national teen spokesperson for the 4.5 million youth served annually by Boys & Girls Clubs. She is the first Hispanic female youth to receive the title.

A projected psychology major from Pawtucket, R.I., she will receive $26,000 in college scholarships from the program's founding sponsor, Reader's Digest Foundation. The Youth-of-the-Year program recognizes outstanding contributions to a member's family, school, community and Boys & Girls Club; academic excellence, and personal challenges and obstacles overcome.

Correa was graduated from Charles E. Shea High School, where she mentored freshmen and was a tutor. She was nominated to the City of Pawtucket's Teen Hall of Fame, received the Rhode Island Presidential Student-of-the-Year Award and was inducted into the National Honor Society of High School Scholars. She also graduated in the top three percent of her class.

She is a seven-year member of the Boys & Girls Club program. At her local club, she learned English, made many friends and excelled in the aquatics program.

A member of the women's swimming and diving team, she was a three-time Most Valuable Swimmer for Coach Peter Vellis three times in high school and created a basic swimming skills program for inner city youth, among other community service projects. Her specific speciality is the backstroke

ABOUT THE PROGRAM: "in Boys & Girls Clubs around the world, caring staff members encourage and support the members they serve. Through this nurturing environment, many develop sound character, leadership abilities and the willingness to give back to their community. These are the qualities that make a Youth-of-the-Year. They are also some of the most important qualities young people need to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.

The National Youth-of-the-Year program, Boys & Girls Clubs of America's premier character and leadership initiative, recognizes outstanding contributions to a Club member's family, school, community and Boys & Girls Club: as well as personal challenges and obstacles overcome.

Participants are chosen on local and state levels, culminating with five regional winners meeting in Washington, D.C., to compete for the National Youth-of-the-Year honor.

Since the program's inception in 1947, each National Youth-of-the Year has met with the President of the United States to formally accept the award and begin a one-year term as the teen spokesperson for all Boys & Girls Club members.

The young people who earn recognition as Youth-of-the-Year are living proof that Boys & Girls Clubs work. Indeed, there is no stronger testimony that Clubs are truly "The Positive Place for Kids."