Donovan Frazier was named the Benton Harbor Youth of the Year at a celebration at the Boys & Girls Clubs’ Benton Harbor Joel E. Smilow Teen Center. Frazier will represent Benton Harbor in the organization’s club-wide competition that will include additional representatives from South Haven and St. Joseph, on February 24, 2022. The competition will take place virtually and will be streamed on YouTube.
Frazier is a 17-year-old senior at Eau Claire High School and continues a long legacy of Benton Harbor teens to participate in the Youth of the Year program for Boys & Girls Clubs. Frazier has been a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs since elementary school, attending the Fettig Youth Campus. Frazier is a third degree blackbelt in taekwondo, captain of his basketball team, plays baseball, runs track, and is a member of the Honor Roll.
Frazier joined the Club with the goal of making new friends. “The Club puts forth so many opportunities to express yourself like dance, art, music, drama, and sports,” he said. “I used sports as an outlet to meet new people, gain confidence, and keep me out of trouble.”
Frazier was one of four candidates vying for the title to include: Curtis Porter, Antiaira Pate-Hackney, and Evalaya Smith.
“Donovan has everything it takes to represent the Clubs as the Youth of the Year and be very successful,” said John Sams, Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor Joel E. Smilow Teen Center Unit Director. “Whatever Donovan chooses to do, I am confident that he will make amazing changes in the world around him. In ten years, he will be the kind of role model young people his age are looking for right now.”
Frazier has goals to study exercise science at a four-year university in the future.
Following the February 24th virtual club-wide competition, the teen chosen to represent Boys & Girls Clubs locally will compete with teens selected by each of the 16 statewide clubs for the Michigan Youth of the Year title.
Boys & Girls Clubs based in Benton Harbor has a legacy of recognized leaders with the 2020 winner, Tekeidra Masters, going on to earn the titles of Michigan Youth of the Year and Midwest Regional Youth of the Year. Quincy Sulton, 2018 Benton Harbor winner was also named Michigan Youth of the Year. In 2014 Jasmnika Newbern was selected as the Benton Harbor, Michigan, and Midwest Regional Youth of the Year. Trianna Sims was the Benton Harbor and Michigan Youth of the Year in 2012.
Every year the Boys & Girls Clubs of America reaffirm their mission to inspire and empower today’s youth by celebrating exemplary youth in Clubs across the nation through the Youth of the Year program. The Youth of the Year journey begins locally when youth, nominated by Club staff and peers, accept the challenge to rise above and make positive changes in their lives, Club and community.
