Photo By Maj. Derek Cobb | Sunday McGowan, daughter of LaParis McGowan, the 451st ESC Health Readiness...... read more read more
TOPEKA, Kansas—The Kansas Military Youth of the Year award was won by Sunday McGowan, daughter of our very own LaParis McGowan, the 451st ESC Health Readiness Coordinator, for her commitment to community service, academic success, good character and citizenship, and establishing long-term goals, at the Boys and Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) Youth of the Year Award Ceremony in Topeka, Kansas, on March 19.
We are ecstatic to recognize McGowan for her achievement this month, especially since April is the Month of the Military Child (MOMC)! Since April 1986, the Army has observed the MOMC to recognize the support military children provide their Soldiers and their Families. The Army is committed to military Families and children, and thanks them for the support and contributions they make on behalf of their Soldiers.
McGowan has made several contributions as the daughter of a military service member. When her mother is not serving as the 451st ESC Health Readiness Coordinator, she serves in the Army Reserve as the Brigade Equal Opportunity Advisor, for the 647th Regional Support Group (RSG) in Wichita, Kansas. Sometimes McGowan assists her mother with some of the activities she runs for the 451st ESC.
McGowan works with younger children in local organizations. She is a swim instructor at the Derby Recreation Center and some of the children she instructs are also members of the McConnell Air Force Base (AFB) Youth Center. McGowan is a member of the Keystone Club, which is a program provided by the BGCA. They hold meetings at the McConnell AFB Youth Center, but the Keystone Club is more for teenage children. Members of the Keystone Club gain experience with handling kids by mentoring those in the Youth Center. Working with other younger military children has allowed McGowan to use her experience as a military youth to help others adapt to new environments and build connections, which can be challenging as the child of a military service member.
A military move brought McGowan and her Family out to Kansas when she was eight. She had experienced bullying and discrimination being an African American girl in a predominantly Hispanic school. She also experienced a cultural shock moving from the West Coast to the Midwest where people talked and did things differently. With the support of her parents, McGowan was able to make friends through the Youth Center program supported by the BGCA on McConnell AFB. The organization helped her network and grow as a person, improving her mental resiliency.
Mental health is a very important topic for McGowan. At her high school, McGowan serves as the president of Student-to-Student, a club that allows teens to talk to one another and support each other through challenges experienced as an adolescence. They meet weekly and talk during breakfast. She has found that sometimes it is helpful just to have an outlet.
After experiencing the loss of her father as a high school sophomore, McGowan felt very stuck and secluded. Her father was a strong pillar in the support system she received from her parents. The connections McGowan made through the Keystone Club helped her recover after the loss. She found strength and a new purpose in helping other youths whether they were military children or not. Part of her campaign in the Boys and Girls Clubs Military Youth of the Year competition is to provide a platform for more teens to feel like they can advocate for themselves and get the right support for dealing with some of life’s challenges. She will head to the regional level of the competition in Dallas, Texas, from June 10-13.
The Army is fully dedicated to building and maintaining Family resiliency by offering a variety of programs and services through Child and Youth Services. McGowan encourages other young people to get involved as soon as they can.
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions. I would definitely say join a club. It is fun,” McGowan said, “I know sometimes clubs get a bad rap. Some kids might call it nerdy or not fun. Don’t be scared of what other people may think. Do what you feel in your heart would be the right decision for you. And try it.”
Since 1947, Youth of the Year has BGCA’s premier recognition program, celebrating club members’ extraordinary achievements. Each Year one exceptional club member is selected to be the National Youth of the Year. The person serves as an exemplary ambassador for the Boys and Girls Club youth and as a strong voice for all our nation’s young people.
Boys and Girls Clubs introduced the Military Youth of the Year distinction to recognize outstanding teens served at BGCA-affiliated youth centers on U.S. military installations through a partnership with the armed services. Military Youth of the Year has highlighted the hard work and dedication of military-connected teens for more than 10 years.
Installation youth centers are available to all military-connected children, youth and teens. Youth centers on military installations currently serve 390,000 military children and offer many of the same club programs as traditional clubs. Teens should contact their installation youth center at:
https://installations.militaryonesource.mil/search?program-service=31/view-by=ALL.
The military partnership makes up 10% of the Boys & Girls Clubs’ affiliation.
| Date Taken: | 04.24.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 04.24.2024 10:41 |
| Story ID: | 469373 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 79 |
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