Toledo teen to represent Boys & Girls Clubs
as Ohio Youth of the Year

TOLEDO – Tyreese, a member of Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo’s Schoenrock Family Club is the Ohio 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.

Tyreese competed with representatives from Boys & Girls Clubs from across the state and delivered his speech during a luncheon at The Athletic Club of Columbus. 

He shared how being born to a teenage mother could have made him a statistic.

“I’m here to say that it’s not the circumstances that define you; It’s the community you choose to surround yourself with and the bold steps you take that define your success,” he said.

The Clubs, he said, entered his life at a pivotal time – on Valentine’s Day in 2022 – as he struggled with social anxiety. On his first day as a TEC Teen employee at the David Werhmeister Club, the Club director handed him a goody bag with a card inside.

“It read: ‘You are seen. You are valued. You belong here,”’ he said. “In that moment, I felt something I hadn’t in a long time: I felt accepted. And over the next few months, I saw firsthand the loving and nurturing spirit at the heart of the Boys & Girls Club.”

That is the same message he wants to share with his peers.

“Tyreese reminds us that real leadership starts with character, resilience and the quiet determination to lift others up,” said Jim Ravas, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo. “As he represents Ohio on a larger stage, his story is a powerful example of what young people can achieve when given the chance—and why we must keep opening doors for the next generation.” 

As the Ohio Youth of the Year, Tyreese received a $15,000 scholarship. He will travel to Chicago to compete in the Midwest Youth of the Year competition in June.

“On behalf of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo Board of Trustees, I would like to congratulate Tyreese on his most prestigious and well-deserved Ohio Youth of the Year Award,” said Tiffany Cavanaugh, board president. “I could not be more proud of Tyreese’s representation of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo – his character, poise, professionalism, and leadership are unmatched. Likewise, he has a true heart for serving others and an unstoppable drive to succeed. I can’t wait to see what Tyreese’s future holds, and one thing is for sure – whatever he does, he will be an unstoppable success. Tyreese truly is an example of the Great Futures that start at Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo.”

Tyreese is a senior at Toledo Early College High School and a Teen Employment Corps staff member at the Schoenrock Family Boys & Girls Club. In his role as a TEC Teen, Tyreese assists adult staff members in planning activities and serves as a mentor to younger Club members.

At Toledo Early College, Tyreese 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.

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

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

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

To be eligible, contestants must be an active member in a Boys & Girls Club and have a GPA of at least 2.5. To compete, they must submit three essays, two letters of recommendation and a prepared speech. The Toledo Clubs traditionally select a high school senior to be the Organizational Youth Year.