Boys & Girls Clubs of America Youth of the Year finalists join President Obama for an exclusive meeting in the Oval Office as the culmination of a week-long competition to be named the 2013.2014 National Youth of the Year, the highest recognition a club member can receive. Boys & Girls Clubs of America's newly named 2013-14 National Youth of the Year Kiana Knolland (left) received the top honor and over $60,000 in college scholarships from national Youth of the Year sponsor, Tupperware Brands. From left to right: Kiana Knolland; RaShaan Allen, Military Youth of the Year from Devers Youth Center on Ft. Knox (Ky.); Yossymar Rojas from Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley (Ca.); Jesse Friedman from Boys & Girls Clubs of South Oakland County (Mi.);Martaluz Olang from Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford (Ct.); Meeri Shin from Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland (Tn.).
Cleveland teen Meeri Shin, the Boys & Girls Clubs Southeast Region Youth of the Year, one of the organizations highest honors sponsored by Tupperware Brands, met with President Obama on Wednesday afternoon in the Oval Office to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing young people today.
As part of the Youth of the Year program, which culminated in the visit to the White House yesterday, Meeri was also recognized at a gala dinner and Congressional breakfast this week, meeting celebrities and Congressional leaders including Colin Powell, Condaleeza Rice, Goldie Hawn, Olympic gold medal snowboarder Shaun White, and newly named Youth of the Year Celebrity Ambassador, Misty Copeland (American Ballet Theatre Soloist), and NBC News’ Luke Russert and Erica Hill.
As the Southeast Region Youth of the Year, Meeri will receive scholarships from Tupperware Brands and Olympic gold medalist Shaun White, through his foundation.