Boys |amp| Girls Club honors 2002 Youth of the Year

Nichole Adams and Devan Johnson were honored recently as the 2002 Youth of the Year by the Boys and Girls Club of Springfield.

The pair were recognized at a Feb. 13 luncheon at University Plaza for their leadership skills, academic achievement, ability to overcome obstacles and outstanding service to the club and the community.

Adams and Johnson, both juniors at Central High School, each received $6,000 college scholarships funded by the Boys and Girls Club Ladies Auxiliary. The pair also will serve as spokespeople for the club for the year ahead, and Adams will represent the club in state competitions in April.

The awards program is sponsored by Reader's Digest Association and administered by Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Ten other Henderson Unit club members received $500 college scholarships, funded by the Cooperative Sertoma Club. Scholarships were presented to Tina Huskisson, Eugene Walker, Timmy Wells, Brittany Hutchinson, Brandi Wilson, Ashlee Vann, Kennon Choate, Matthew Gann, Cheyanne Hicks and Courtney Piper.

The 63-year-old Boys & Girls Club of Springfield provides programs for more than 2,500 boys and girls in the areas of drug and alcohol abuse prevention, delinquency intervention, health and fitness, career exploration, educational enhancements, the arts and social recreation.

The awards event was "a true celebration of the work that our children are doing," according to information provided by club Executive Director Patrick Gartland.