Program underwritten by Chevron for the fifth consecutive year
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston (BGCGH) announces that Ky’Saan Piatti, a member of the Houston Texans Teen Club and a senior at Booker T. Washington High School, was named BGCGH’s 2023 Julius Young Youth of the Year during the annual Youth of the Year dinner held February 17 at the Junior League of Houston. The Youth of the Year Program, underwritten by Chevron for the past five years, celebrates the remarkable accomplishments of BGCGH Club members who have distinguished themselves through academic success, leadership, hard work and determination.
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, served as keynote speaker, while emcee duties were handled by Deepi Sidhu, Texans Insider and Lead Writer with the Houston Texans.
In 2021, the Houston YOY award was renamed Julius Young Youth of the Year in memory and in honor of Julius Young, Jr., who was elected Board Chairman of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston for 2020-2021 and passed away in September 2021. Young was the organization’s first Black board chair and “Club kid” and made a tremendous impact on the lives of Houston-area youth in the time he served.
Piatti will compete in the state Youth of the Year competition in March and will receive a $10,000 college scholarship from the Julius Young Youth of the Year Scholarship Fund and a $5,000 college scholarship from Chevron, which he plans to use at Wichita State University upon graduation.
When asked about his philosophy, Piatti replied, “Be kind to others, never judge a book by its cover, and the most important of them all, always be true to yourself.” As Youth of the Year, Piatti plans to raise awareness of the importance of mental health among teens.
“We are proud to honor our Julius Young Youth of the Year, Ky’Saan Piatti, for his exemplary leadership and outstanding accomplishments as a member of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston,” says Kevin Hattery, President and CEO. “Ky’Saan stood out in a competitive field of deserving candidates. We know great things are in store as he begins the journey of higher education as a young adult.”
Hattery also noted that Chevron has been a generous and loyal partner over the years. “We greatly appreciate the company’s ongoing commitment to our mission. This is Chevron’s fifth consecutive year as presenting sponsor for our Julius Young Youth of the Year program.”
“Volunteerism and serving our community are key parts of our company culture at Chevron,” says Irene Flores, Corporate Affairs Representative. “The Julius Young Youth of the Year program is one of our favorite opportunities for direct involvement and mentorship and demonstrates our commitment to investing in our youth. These Boys & Girls Club members have the potential to be the next generation of business leaders who will be integral to the success of Chevron and to our overall community.”
More than 200 attendees, including BGCGH board members, staff and supporters, also got to hear from BGCGH’s two other top YOY candidates: Jadyn Perez from the Houston Texans Teen Club and a sophomore at Heights High School, and Jonathan Salazar from the Richmond-Rosenberg Boys & Girls Club and a junior at B.F. Terry High School. Each gave inspiring speeches about their personal journeys with Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston and received scholarships as well.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston Board Chairman Will Leven says, “I want to congratulate each of the Julius Young YOY finalists. This group has upheld the highest standards in academics, extracurricular activities and in their personal lives. Their integrity and perseverance will enable them to have great success in their lives, and I look forward to watching their development over the coming years. It is also critical to thank their Club mentors and recognize the key role they have played in each of the finalist’s success.”
To choose one youth to represent BGCGH at the state competition, judges were recruited to hear from all Youth of the Year candidates and narrow it down to only one. Volunteers judges included San Burnett, Woodside Energy; Jerome Butler, Comcast; Terri King, ConocoPhillips; Hannah McNair, Houston Texans; Steve Metzger, Carriage Services and BGCGH Board of Directors; Pranika Sinha, Greystone and BGCGH Board of Directors and Telisa Toliver, Chevron.
To learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, please visit www.bgcgh.org.