Youth of the Year (YOY) Award
Club Submittal must be into District by April 4th
Youth of the Year Theme
“In a world that is constantly changing and ever-evolving, our youth play critical roles in shaping the future of their communities. From advocating to leading, young people are taking charge and making significant impact. How have you personally contributed to society and how do you envision your future in community service?”
Important Dates
November/December 2024 | Clubs will provide program packet and nomination form to high school counselors.
January 2025 |Clubs send an email reminder to the counselors on your submission deadline.
February 1, 2025 | Club sends an email reminder to the counselors on the upcoming submission deadline.
March 14, 2025 | All Applications either PDF or via electronic form must have been submitted to the Club for consideration. Please review the information on Page 4 regarding the sponsoring club.
April 4, 2025 | Clubs to forward winning submissions to the CA/NV District Youth of the Year Chair for District Competition. Please submit only one male and one female Student from each school.
April 18, 2025 | CA/NV District winners announced.
April 2025 – May 2025 | The clubs should plan a special recognition for your honorees, inviting their families.
June 1, 2025 | CA/NV District winners submitted by the District Chairperson to the National Exchange Club for consideration.
June 8, 2025 | CA/NV District winners are honored at the annual District Convention in Irvine, California.
July 9-12, 2025 | The National winner is honored at the National Convention and awarded $15,000.
The Youth of the Year program by the National Exchange Club is a prestigious award that recognizes outstanding high school students for their excellence in academics, leadership, and community service. The program operates at three levels: local, district, and national.
Key highlights of the program include:
CLUB LEVEL COMPETITION
Participating in the YOY Award program is voluntary. Each Club’s Board must determine its interest, the number of available scholarships it can offer, and the financial means to support the program. Refer to Club guidelines for more details.
DISTRICT LEVEL COMPETITION
Each Club can submit one female and one male Student from each school in their community. If your Students are selected as the CA/NV District YOY Award winners, the students must provide a 5″ x 7″ high-quality photo in JPEG format for publicity purposes. The CA/NV District YOY Award submission deadline is Monday, April 4, 2025.
The District winners will receive the YOY Award plaque and a $2,500 scholarship. Student’s will be honored by attending the annual Convention of the California-Nevada District Exchange Clubs, held on June 7, 2025 in Irvine, California. The winners will be notified of the time and place before June 1, 2025. The winners must attend the District Convention. If a student is selected and cannot participate in the Convention, the first runner-up will become the winner.
Transportation expenses to the Convention and return at $.25 per mile (round-trip), one night (one room) hotel accommodations (room & tax cost only), three (3) tickets for the Friday evening district-sponsored dinner, and three tickets for the YOY Award presentations will be the financial responsibility of the District at no expense to the local sponsoring club. The club chairperson must clearly explain the above financial considerations, and participants must agree with their understanding of these finances.
NATIONAL LEVEL COMPETITION
The CA/NV District YOY Award winners are entered into the National Exchange Club competition. One winner will receive a $15,000 scholarship and plaque. The submission deadline for our district is June 1, 2025.
Click here to download YOY club packet PDF – (Please NOTE: This PDF contains the same information you see below).
The following will outline the submission process for the Youth of the Year Award.
- The Club Chairperson contacts the Senior Counselor or Scholarship Chairperson at the High School(s) you have chosen. Provide the counselor with an application PDF (NOTE: Make sure you have filled out page 4 with your club’s information so that the counselor has your contact information. SAVE this PDF to a new name that will be forwarded to your counselors). Provide deadlines and stress placing the responsibility of completing the packet on the student. Provide extra copies for the students and their parents as needed so they understand their respective responsibilities.
- Have the counselor give your club’s application packet or club URL to the students they believe to be well qualified. Only 1 male and 1 female may be submitted from each High School or the determined process by your club to choose an awardee. Give a deadline AHEAD of the District deadline, your phone number, and e-mail address where they can contact you if they need any clarification.
- Before submitting applications to the District Chair, be sure CERTIFICATION & INFORMATION SECTION 5, and the Youth of the Year Club Chairperson contact information are completed by student, parents, counselor or high school official, and club president.
- ATTACH THESE ITEMS TO THE IDENTIFICATION SHEET AND EMAIL TO THE DISTRICT CHAIR BY THE DEADLINE or submit via electronic form at https://calnevexchange.org/forms/youth-of-the-year/. The alternative is to click on the GREEN “SUBMIT CLUB WINNERS ONLY” Icon at the top of this web page.
- The District will notify you around April 18th if your student is chosen as the CAL/NEV District Male/Female Youth of the Year. You must, within 3 days, mail to the District Chairperson a 5×7 inch high-quality color photo (preferred format is a JPG submitted electronically) of the student. The photo will be used for publicity at the District and National Convention. The photo will not be returned.
- YOUR WINNER MUST ATTEND THE DISTRICT CONVENTION! If your student cannot participate in the convention, the first runner-up will become the winner. So, make sure your nominee can participate in the convention when you submit their application.
- This year’s District Convention will be held on June 7th & 8th 2025 in Irvine, California. The winners will be notified of the time and place prior to April 18, 2025. The Award will be presented on June 8th, 2025.
- All Convention arrangements for the student and their chaperone will be the responsibility of the District Youth of the Year Committee, and the Convention Coordinator, Ken Owens, e-mail kaowens2@verizon. net. Please submit all questions to the District Youth of the Year Committee. Do not contact the convention coordinator unless your student is selected as a winner and you have communicated with the committee chair first.
- The District, not the sponsoring club, will reimburse the recipients for the following:
- Ground transportation expense only to and from the Convention at $.25 per mile (round-trip).
- One-room hotel accommodation with two queen beds for one night (room & tax cost only)
- Three (3) tickets for the Saturday evening District Installation Dinner, and 3 tickets for the Youth of the Year presentations Sunday morning.
- THESE FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS MUST BE EXPLAINED CLEARLY BY THE CLUB CHAIRPERSON AND PARTICIPANTS MUST AGREE TO ABIDE BY THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
- It is your responsibility as your Club’s Youth of the Year Chair to (1) have your winner’s mileage voucher ready to present to Ken Owens, the District COO when you arrive; (2) have all pertinent information about when the recipient and their chaperones will arrive, their names and relationship to the recipient.
- The Youth of the Year will each be entered, automatically, in the National Exchange Club’s Youth of the Year Contest by the District Chairperson. The other students asked to write the essay will receive a consolation award from the District. Their names and club sponsors will be listed in the District Convention Program for recognition.
- Winners of the National Youth of the Year Contest will receive their award at the National Exchange Club Convention held from July 9th – 13th. The winners must be able to attend the National Convention. National will make all travel arrangements.
Dear [Counselor’s Name],
I hope this message finds you well! We’re excited to announce that the materials for this year’s Youth of the Year (YOY)Award program are now available. This prestigious youth award is not just an academic award. The Youth of the Year winner is proven to be the most well-rounded individual who is not only a good student, but an involved student. Aside from points earned for non-weighted GPA, points are also scored for participation in school and community organizations.
- What’s Included: Counselor’s Packet: Comprehensive information about the award, eligibility criteria, and guidelines for the application process.
- Student Nomination Form: Students and those nominating them for the award must complete this
form.
How to Access the Materials: [Insert Link to Counselor’s Packet] and [Insert Link to Student Nomination Form]
We kindly ask that you share this information with students you believe would be great candidates for the YOY Award. It’s a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge their hard work and perseverance.
Important Deadline:
Please note that all submissions must be received by March 14, 2025.
We deeply appreciate your support in honoring these remarkable students. If you have any questions or need additional information, Please feel free to contact us.
Thank you for your continued dedication to your students’ success!
Best regards,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Title/Club Name]
[Your Contact Information]
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