Northbrook High Senior Wins Texas Youth of the Year Title

Carla Trochez, a Northbrook High senior and member of the Spring Branch Boys & Girls Club, made history this month by becoming the first area teen to earn the title of 2015 Texas Youth of the Year through Boys & Girls Clubs. She competes next at the national regional level.

In addition to a previous $1,000 local scholarship award, Carla received a $5,000 scholarship as the State Youth of the Year. She’ll have a shot at adding a $10,000 scholarship to her crown in regional competition.

Carla won the state title in Austin on March 3 by surpassing seven other Youth of the Year candidates, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston reports. That win marks a first in organization history for a Houston-area member teen.

Fifteen Boys & Girls Clubs are located across Houston. They serve 12,000 children and teens. Carla is a member of Boys & Girls Club-Greater Houston located at 8575 Pitner Road in the Northbrook High community.

Boys & Girls Club leaders report that Carla won over area and state judges, in part, with her high academic achievements. She is ranked second among all seniors at Northbrook High, with a 6.47 grade point average.

Her final college or university pick remains undecided at this time, but through her own struggle with an eating disorder she remains committed to working with health and nutrition, possibly as a dietician.

She has organized volunteer projects and taught a nutrition and exercise program, Healthy Habits, to first- through third-graders. She is passionate about healthy lifestyles.

She credits her local Boys & Girls Club for providing a safe and supportive way for her to navigate through unstable times, including an eating disorder. She was supported by Club staff in her own struggle, and has since helped others achieve and maintain healthy lifestyles.

"The Youth of the Year program celebrates the extraordinary achievements of our Club members, and we are extremely proud to have Carla represent the Greater Houston Clubs at the recent state competition and upcoming regional competition,” said Kevin Hattery, the president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston. 

"Carla's accomplishment is even more extraordinary because this is the first time in the organization's history that a Club member from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston has won the Texas state Youth of the Year title," he also states.

One exceptional Boys & Girls Club member is selected each year to be the National Youth of the Year. The national winner serves as ambassador for all Boys & Girls Club youth, receives a $50,000 scholarship, and is installed in office by the President of the United States, Barack Obama.

For more information, please visit www.bgclubs-houston.org.