From shy child to confident teenager, how she became the Youth of the Year in Columbus
Twelve years ago, when Genesis Tucker joined the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley, she was reluctant to talk with other kids and the staff.
Now, as a senior at Hardaway High School in Columbus, she is the BGCCV 2025 Youth of the Year.
Reflecting on her transformation from shy child to confident teenager, Genesis is thankful for the BGCCV.
“Everybody was so welcoming and so willing to let me participate in activities with them,” she told the Ledger-Enquirer.
Genesis has become a leader at the BGCCV. She greets new members and helps them adjust as she pays forward her gratitude.
“People here will help you find your way,” she said. “They’ll tell you if you’re doing wrong or if you’re doing right, but they will not judge you.”
Favorite activities
Genesis appreciates the variety of activities the BGCCV offers.
“Every time I come here,” she said, “there’s something new, something fun.”
Her favorite activities at the BGCCV Teen Center include kickball and painting.
“I’m really competitive, and I love to win,” she said with a smile. “… I also actually painted a ceiling tile.”
The BGCCV Smart Girls program has been a significant part of the club experience for Genesis.
“In Smart Girls, we have these little journals and papers we can write,” she said. “We share our ups and downs. … It’s like a free space.”
Genesis has volunteered the past two years in the BGCCV Teen Center’s kitchen, where she helps to serve and clean. She values the club as a second family, providing support and acceptance.
“In here,” she said, “I know I can truly be myself.”
Director’s perspective
Angelica Graham, the BGCCV Teen Center director, has witnessed the blossoming of Genesis.
“She’ll be the first one to say, ‘Hey, I’ll give you a club tour. Do you want me to show you around?’ She has a very welcoming spirit about herself,” Graham told the Ledger-Enquirer.
Graham also has seen Genesis grow through the Youth of the Year selection process.
“She battled with anxiety a lot,” Graham said. “… But to see her get up on that stage and take that final walk across, she did it effortlessly.”
BGCCV Youth of the Year selection process
The candidates were judged on their cover letter, resume and essays titled “My Club Experience,” “What Matters to Me” and “Personal Growth,” as well as recommendations from a BGCCV staff member and someone in the community. The candidates also were judged on their interview with the selection committee and their public speaking at the BGCCV annual banquet in the Bibb Mill Event Center last month.
“Genesis credited the Club with helping to shape her confidence and develop her competitive spirit,” BGCCV Executive Vice President Fred Maglione told the Ledger-Enquirer in an email. “The judges were impressed overall with her entire package.”
The other finalists were Jordan Vocational High School sophomore Edwin Brown and Shaw High School freshman Taylor Lamb.
Candidates for the BGCCV Youth of the Year award come from the monthly winners recommended by staff at their club. Staff members choose among the monthly winners to represent their club in the Youth of the Year contest.
The BGCCV comprises six club locations serving a total of approximately 600 children ages 6-18 daily and 2,500 annually.
To join the BGCCV, the school-year membership fee is $65 per child for ages 6-12. It’s free for ages 13-18. Applications are available online at bgc-colsga.org/join-a-club.
Donations to the BGCCV can be made through an online donation portal.
Career plan
Genesis plans to major in biology at Fort Valley State University, which gave her a scholarship. Her career goal is to become a veterinarian.
“I love animals, and I want to take care of them,” she said.
Until then, Genesis wants to represent the BGCCV as its Youth of the Year by making this message clear, she said: “The club is a community of people. You have many different opinions, many different views, but it’s all just like one big melting pot.
“Everybody comes together and shares their opinions without being judged. … You’re not just hanging out in the neighborhood, sitting on your couch without anything to do. There’s so much stuff to do here.”
