Youth of the Year

Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos teen member Ernie Montano has been selected to represent San Diego County the 2022 California Youth of the Year competition

Inspiring leader. Community service superstar. Role model. San Marcos teen Ernie Montano can now claim one more title to compliment his extraordinary accomplishments thus far: 2022 San Diego County Youth of the Year.

Ernie, who has been a part of the Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos for over 11 years, was selected to represent the organization as Youth of the Year last September and on March 8, 2022, he was named the San Diego County Youth of the Year. He will now go on to represent San Diego County in the California Youth of the Year competition in April.

Ernie describes his experiences at the Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos as a “great place for my siblings and I. Knowing that I am safe and that there are people who care about me, means the world to me…We love everything this place is and love everyone who is here,” he continued “It is like a second home and family to us.”

To learn more about Ernie, read our latest blog post HERE.

Youth of the Year is Boys & Girls Clubs of America's premier recognition program for Club members. To be selected as Youth of the Year is the highest honor a youth member can receive. The title recognizes the outstanding contributions that the member has made to their family, school, community, and Boys & Girls Club, as well as any personal challenges and obstacles that have overcome.