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Boys & Girls Club presents awards

By AMY DeMIEN - For The Telegraph | Mar 23, 2018

NASHA – Selected first from a group of 11 exceptional young candidates and then from among three outstanding finalists, 15-year-old Mario A. Rodriquez Santana was announced as the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua’s Youth of the Year during the Club’s annual Youth of the Year Dinner and Hall of Fame Celebration.

After undergoing a rigorous application process, which includes completing a series of essays and two rounds of interviews, Mario was chosen as the Youth of the Year for his leadership ability, academic and athletic accomplishments, commitment to the Club and extraordinary persistence in the face of adversity.

Mario joined the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua shortly after moving from Cuba to the United States when he was 8. Since then, he’s been involved in multiple sports teams at the Club, particularly the swim team, as well as academic programs such as Science of Sports and the KIXX program. At the age of 10, he joined the national swim team and has since broken 11 swim records, leading to his acceptance of the Tommy Zimmerman award, the swim team’s highest honor. He also went on to win the Science of Sports Science Fair, earning a $1,000 scholarship and the opportunity to meet Bob Kraft, an important leader in the sports industry.

“I lived in Cuba until I came to Nashua at 8 years old, and I struggled at first. It was a different culture with a different language and way of life. It was hard to adapt to the changes. Then, when I was 9, a month after coming to the country, I joined the Club,” Mario said. “Though I have taken part in so many programs in my seven years at the Club, I never really understood fully how much the Club meant to me until recently. I hope everyone understands that there is so much good within the walls of the Club and with the helping hands of the mentors, staff and volunteers.”

The Boys & Girls Club also inducted three individuals into its Hall of Fame for their contributions and commitment to the Club’s mission. The recipients of this honor were Brian Skanes, Marty Thebodeau and Isaac Tesfay. Each took to the stage to graciously accept the award and share a few words on what the Club has meant to them over the years.

Skanes, a unit director at Nashua’s Boys & Girls Club from 1976-1980 who continued his career with other Boys & Girls Clubs at the local and national level until his retirement in 2017, said, “In my 43-year Boys & Girls Club career, I always looked back at the Boys & Girls Club of Nashua as the foundation of my career. The principles I learned here gave me a wealth of knowledge to look back on. In each community, I tried to recreate what I learned in Nashua.”

Thebodeau, an active and vital member on the Club’s annual Friel Memorial Golf Tournament fundraiser since its inception in 1978 and long-time proponent of the Boys & Girls Club mission, said, “I was overwhelmed to receive this honor. Each year at the Friel Memorial Golf Tournament, I hear a story about a personal accomplishment as a part of Club membership that confirms the success of the Club’s mission and makes me very proud that I’m involved.”

Tesfay, a Club Alumnus who went on to become the director of diversity, inclusion, affirmative action and equal opportunity at Worcester State University and remains connected to the Clubs in the northeast through his advocacy and volunteer work, said, “I would not be the man I am today if it weren’t for the dedicated staff and their unrelenting dedication to my personal and social development. Everything I’ve learned is built on the platform of the Boys & Girls Club.”

There to celebrate the achievements of the recognized individuals alongside their families, Club members and their staff mentors, were Nashua Chief of Police Andrew Lavoie, the Northwest Regional Boys & Girls Club Vice President Ron Hadorn and Nashua Mayor Jim Donchess. Club supporters, board members and community business leaders also came out to honor the recognized individual’s successes.

The crowd enjoyed a dinner of roasted chicken, rice and vegetables provided by the Ninety-Nine Restaurant, before the start of the program and after introductory comments made by the Club’s CEO Norman Bouthilette and the event’s Co-chairs Alison Kalman and Ray Ramas. Throughout the program, honorary awards were presented to the Hall of Fame Inductees by Chief Volunteer Officer and Senior Vice President of Eastern Bank Deborah Blondin and an impromptu award was presented to Norman Bouthilette by Lavoie in appreciation of his invaluable service to the community and support of the men and women of the Nashua Police Department.

The final award of the night, the Youth of the Year award, was presented by Director of Teen Services Joseph Maryanski following a performance by Dance Synergy and a presentation by lead sponsor BAE Systems’ Senior Vice President Guy Montminy. Before the winner was announced, all the Youth of the Year candidates were recognized on stage, and the three finalists, Flossie Kimungu, Trinity Unthank and Rodriguez Santana, were asked to step forward.

Mario was then announced as the 2018 Youth of the Year Winner to the delight and excitement of family and friends who came out in support. He shook Maryanski’s hand and offered his humble thanks before delivering an emotional and heartfelt acceptance speech.

“I’m so grateful to be a part of the Club, and that I’ve had the opportunity to grow from a kid in the audience five years ago, to the one talking up here inspiring others today,” Mario said. “Thank you so much everyone!”

In addition to the title, Mario has won a $1,000 scholarship and will go on to compete in the State Youth of the Year competition, where he will have the opportunity to vie for the regional title and receive $5,000 in college scholarships.

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