DALLAS – At the Texas Youth of the Year (YOY) Award Competition in Austin, Texas on April 15, 2014, Cecilia Garza, a senior at Uplift Williams Preparatory, advanced in the competition to represent Texas at the regional level as “Youth of the Year.” This program celebrates youth who have overcome enormous odds and demonstrated exceptional character and accomplishments. As a result of winning the State Competition, Garza received a $1,000 scholarship from Boys & Girls Club of America and $4,000 from Coca-Cola.
In June, Garza will compete for the 2014 Southwest Region Youth of the Year. The winner will be announced at the 25th Anniversary Great Futures Chairman’s Dinner 2014 at the Omni Hotel in Dallas, Texas. If Garza wins, she would compete in September against five other regional winners in Washington, D.C. for the National Youth of the Year title, which is the highest honor a Boys & Girls Clubs member can achieve.
Garza is a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas (BGCD) and has been an active member for three and a half years at the Uplift Williams Preparatory location. She is very involved in her school and community. Garza is also a part of a variety of programs that are offered through BGCD such as: SMART Girls, Collegiate STEPS and Career Launch. In keeping with her tenacious spirit of giving back, she established an Interact Club at her school during her senior year. The mission of an Interact Club is to teach high school students the importance of giving back, especially in time of need.
After high school, Garza looks forward to attending Austin College or Agnes Scott University in Atlanta. In hopes of becoming a neurosurgeon, she plans on majoring in biochemistry and then entering medical school. She also dreams of one day using her education to benefit others through organizations such as Doctors Without Borders.
“Garza will be a first generation college student and plans on taking the necessary steps to make her dreams a reality. She is a natural born leader destined for success, and we could not be more proud of her,” said Charles English, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas.
 Award Competition in Austin, Texas on April 15, 2014, Cecilia Garza, a senior at Uplift Williams Preparatory, advanced in the competition to represent Texas at the regional level as “Youth of the Year.”){kind=link}