Boys & Girls Club Of Greenwich Names 2024 Youth Of The Year

Information via Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich

GREENWICH, CT — The Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich last week announced Omar Badr as the Club’s 2024 Youth of the Year.

The award was announced at the 56th annual Youth of the Year celebration on April 3.

Selected from 11 outstanding youth across the organization, Omar Badr is a senior at Greenwich High School who will attend Virginia Tech in the fall.

Omar Badr, along with Salma Badr (GHS senior), George Benner (GHS senior), Christian Dudzinski (GHS sophomore), Scott Dudzinski (GHS sophomore), Daniela Hernandez (West Hill High School junior), Ryder King (GHS sophomore), Daniella Mutis (GHS senior), Sydney Niemynski (GHS sophomore), Jake Phillips (GHS senior), and Diego Silva (GHS senior) were the finalists for the 2024 award.

"Greenwich’s Youth of the Year program was established in 1969 to recognize club members who give back to their club and community," said BGCG CEO Cristina Vittoria, in a news release. "Youth of the Year winners have demonstrated service to club, community and family; academic success; strong moral character; life goals; and poise and public speaking ability. Omar is a shining example of these traits."

Omar said he moved from Brooklyn, N.Y., to Greenwich at the end of fourth grade, and that same week, his mother signed him up to attend the club.

"Since that first day, BGCG has shaped my life and helped make me the person I have become. The various programs I attended combined with the mentors I’ve had have shaped me and given me valuable skills. Most of all, the Club has helped me discover my passion of helping others," Omar said in a news release.

In addition to naming the Youth of the Year winner, Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich also honored Yasmine Bruce (eighth grader at Eastern Middle School) as the 2024 Jr. Youth of the Year; Jake Phillips as the 2024 David Ogilvy Award for Character, Kindness and Integrity recipient; and 2024 Champions of Youth, Sally Lawrence and Chris Winham, with 30-plus years of combined dedication to BGCG.

Lawrence joined the Boys & Girls Club Board 20 years ago and has been an active volunteer throughout her tenure.

Her passion at the slub has been co-chairing its scholarship committee for the last 10 years. She was the board secretary for 14 years. She has volunteered at the club's annual Thanksgiving feast, the pancake breakfast and the holiday party. She also serves as a trustee for the Greenwich Historical Society and the Florence Griswold Museum.

Winham has been a dedicated board member of the BGCG for the past 12 years.
Over the last decade, he has co-chaired the Scholarship Committee. This role, which he describes at the most gratifying of his tenure, has allowed him to witness the remarkable journey of high school seniors evolving into college graduates.

Windham also continues to serve on the Endowment Committee, a role he has held since joining the board, including a term as chairman.

Addressing the crowd, Lawrence remarked, "It is hard to put into words what working on the scholarship program for 12 years has meant to me. It has been inspirational to watch the members begin here as little kids and grow up into the exceptional young adults we see here today. I admire you all."

Echoing her fellow honoree, Winham commented, "The scholarship program has given me perspective. Every one of these young adults has an inspirational story, and they have given me confidence knowing the quality of this rising generation. And it gives me a lot of confidence in the future for the Boys & Girls Club knowing that these alumni feel such responsibility to come and be part of the Club going forward."

Omar will go on to vie for the Connecticut Youth of the Year title and a $5,000 college scholarship from Boys & Girls Clubs of America.