Announcing Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo's 2025 Youth of the Year

TOLEDO – Tyreese Blue II, a Toledo Early College High School senior, is the 2025 Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo Organizational Youth of the Year.

Youth of the Year is Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s signature leadership award. The honor began in 1947 and includes local, state, regional and national competitions.

“It has been an honor to see Tyreese blossom into the young man he is today,” said Aleshia Furr, program director at Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo. “He came to BGCT in February 2022 as a shy sophomore and grew into an incredible leader and mentor for our members over the past three years. Tyreese has shown and proven to be a go-getter and works hard for everything he has earned.”

At Toledo Early College, Blue served as the team captain of the charity basketball team and a member of the National Honors Society. He was among 40 students nationally to complete the Eisenman Materials Camp Program presented by ASM Materials Education Foundation.

Blue is a College Credit Plus sophomore at The University of Toledo, where he plans to continue his studies in construction engineering technology.

“I am excited to see what his future holds and see him give back to his community in the field he has chosen, wanting to become a construction manager to help families have affordable housing,” Furr said.

Last year, the Schoenrock Family Boys & Girls Club awarded Blue the John E. Gunckel Award for Service for community service, leadership and mentorship at the Club.

Blue also represented Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo at the Summit for America’s Youth in Washington. During the event hosted by Boys & Girls Clubs of America, he and other participants from Clubs across the country met directly with Capitol Hill lawmakers to advocate for issues that are important to them.

He has volunteer experience with H.Y.P.E. (Helping Young People Excel) of Lucas, the Birmingham Branch Library and SAME Café. 

In April, Blue will compete for Ohio Youth of the Year recognition in Columbus.

Blue was chosen from three finalists from across the organization. Our runners-up for this year’s competition were also outstanding candidates.

• Amelia Ruiz, a senior at Rogers High School and a member of The Club, James A. Huber Teen Center, since its opening in February 2023, is the president of the Club’s Keystone Club and was recognized as Keystone Member of the Year at Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo Awards Night last spring. Ruiz plans to study engineering at The University of Toledo after graduation.
• Celina Winfield-White, a senior at Central Catholic High School and a TEC Teen junior staff member at the Schoenrock Family Boys & Girls Club, is vice president for Phi Delta Kappa Xinos Auxiliary and Central Catholic student ambassador and received the Schoenrock Club’s Young Leader Award. Winfield-White plans to attend Louisiana State University and pursue a career in medicine.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo recently hosted a Youth of the Year preview night at the Homer Hanham Club. The three finalists answered questions about their Club experience, academic achievement, leadership, service and character. They also delivered prepared speeches.