Mission teen named National Youth of the Year for Boys and Girls Club of America

MISSION, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A Mission student has been awarded the National Youth of the Year title for the Boys and Girls Club of America.

Each year, one club member is selected as National Youth of the Year, a prestigious title that allows one person to serve as a role model for more than 3 million youth served by Boys & Girls Clubs.

Ximena Villarreal, an IDEA Mission student, was named National Youth of the Year during the Boys and Girls Club ceremony held in Los Angeles by national spokesperson and actor Denzel Washington.

Ximena was celebrated on Tuesday with a pep rally at IDEA Mission.

Photo courtesy of Jake Sellers (ValleyCentral)

"I think that it's an amazing opportunity to not only represent my school and my parents, but also all the Club Kids in all of the U.S.," Ximena said. "It's a great opportunity to advocate for what the club can do for youth, what it did for me, and I want to share my story."

Ximena said she became truly passionate about community service after visiting Washington, D.C. in 2024 to speak with members of Congress to advocate for immigrant rights.

"I think being on stage in front of all of those people really made me realize that I was passionate about advocacy, about public speaking, about speaking up for issues being faced," Ximena said.

Linda Gonzalez Alcantar, the CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of McAllen, recalls the first time she met Ximena and how much she has evolved as a leader.

"I actually asked her to help co-emcee a small theater production locally, and that was the first time that she was on stage. I remember her being super nervous, super shy," Alcantar said.

Alcantar attributes Ximena's growth to the impact of the Boys and Girls Club.

"To see her from that moment on stage last year, where she was super shy, to accepting the National Youth of the Year from Denzel Washington in Los Angeles, it's just been an honor to see that journey," Alcantar said. "It just goes to show that in the Valley, when we give kids the resources to meet their full potential, this is what happens. So it has reminded me of the work that we still need to accomplish for kids across our region."