Community Corner

Boys and Girls Club of Venice Honors Youth of the Year

Christopher Rojas receives the award along with a $1,000 college scholarship.

Local teen Christopher Rojas was named the 2011 Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Club of Venice at a ceremony last week.

Rojas, 17, was one of three finalists who are members of the. With the honor, he receives a $1,000 college scholarship. Runners up Angelique Paul and Xiaoxiong Xiong will each receive a $500 scholarship.

"I am not a statistic... thanks to the Boys & Girls club," Rojas said in a speech to the crowd that gathered at Digital Domain on Thursday evening for the ceremony. "The Boys & Girls Club is like a second home to me."

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Rojas, who immigrated from Mexico with his mother and two younger siblings six years ago, has been involved with the club since coming to Venice. He said that doing the right thing is important, since his siblings look up to him and copy what he does.

Rojas talked to Patch about the sacrifices his mother has made for his family, moving the children to Los Angeles and working two jobs here. "She couldn't be here because she's at work, but I know she's very proud of me," Rojas said.

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"Christopher is a role model, a mentor, someone who can give a real testimony of what it means to come from nothing to something," said Erikk Aldridge, chief professional officer at the Boys & Girls Club of Venice.

The award honors "outstanding contributions to a member’s family, school, community and Boys & Girls Club." As the local Youth of the Year, Rojas will now participate in a regional competition. The national Youth of the Year award is presented by the President, along with a $15,000 scholarship.

Rojas, who is a senior at Animo Venice Charter School, hopes to attend the University of Southern California next year to study cinematography. After that, he said, he wants to give back to the Club. "I was to come back and volunteer – to help others like they're helping me."

At the ceremony, volunteer Pat Kandel of Coldwell Banker was also honored with the Community Leader award. Kandel has been working with the Boys & Girls Club of Venice since the 1980s.

Sophie Patterson, 12, was also honored as a 2010 National Fine Arts Award winner. Ali Bilal was named as a 2011 Fine Arts Award Nominee.


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