Youth of the Year for Joseph B. Whitehead Boys & Girls Club

Armonie Mathis is a proud member of the Whitehead Boys & Girls Club, but she admits, she wasn’t that impressed with her home away from home when she joined a few years ago.

She initially felt she was too old to attend, but over time, she quickly learned that the Club was a place for all kids and a valuable resource to her. She developed relationships with Club members and staff members of all ages, and to her surprise, she even discovered exciting programs just for older kids like her.

Programs like Career Bound exposed her to college tours and showed her how to prepare for the SAT and ACT exams. She even learned about jobs she had not considered through job shadowing opportunities in Career Bound.

Armonie also credits programs like Power Hour, a period set aside for homework, for helping her understand the importance of being productive and managing her time well.

Today, 17-year-old Armonie strives to share the same lessons with younger Club members that are trying to find their way. She strives to be a positive role model by assisting them with homework and even encouraging them to make healthy choices like eating right and surrounding themselves with productive people.

Armonie plans to attend Albany State University next fall to work towards her goal of becoming a Nuclear Medical Science Tech in the United States Army.