(CLIFTON, NJ) -- Selected among 16 outstanding youth, Alexandra Pereira from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lower Bergen County’s Lodi Clubhouse has been named the 2024 New Jersey Youth of the Year by Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

The Youth of the Year title is a prestigious honor bestowed upon an exemplary young person in recognition of leadership, service, academic excellence, and dedication to living a healthy lifestyle. Now in its 77th year, the Youth of the Year program honors our nation’s most awe-inspiring young people on their path to great futures. As the 2024 New Jersey Youth of the Year, Alexandra will serve as an ambassador for all teens in the state and will receive a $12,500 college scholarship from Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. She will go on to vie for the regional Youth of the Year and ultimately the national title.

Pereira has been an outstanding member of the Boys & Girls Club of Lower Bergen County’s Lodi Clubhouse for three years. During this time, she has completed over 3,000 hours of community service. She has led many community service initiatives such as the annual Feed the Needy community outreach, providing over 100 families with Thanksgiving meal kits. She has also helped spearhead emergency drives to collect items for families. These efforts have extended as far as Hawaii when there were wildfires across Maui. Alexandra is also the president of the Boys & Girls Club of Lower Bergen County’s Keystone Teen Program, a leadership and volunteer program that helps students become more well-rounded and prepared for their futures. Keystone members participate in a variety of projects and programs that are designed to provide real-world exposure and experiences. As a Keystone leader, Pereira has strived to ensure that her peers are supported, heard, and valued. In the future, she seeks to continue giving back. She intends to attain a degree in social work to fulfill her dream of becoming a social worker for children.

Pereira is currently a sophomore at Lodi High School and is enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) classes. Her commitment, diligence, and hard work have earned her a 4.5 GPA. In addition, Alexandra is very involved in extracurricular activities and school sports. She has a passion for music demonstrated by her participation in her school Honors band, Jazz band, Pit orchestra, and Standard band. Impressively, she plays both the tenor saxophone and clarinet. This school year, one of the bands placed first in many state competitions. As a student-athlete, Pereira plays multiple positions on the Junior Varsity and Varsity Basketball teams.

“We are incredibly proud of Alexandra and all the Youth of the Year nominees,” said Susan Haspel, State Director of Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey. “Being named NJ Youth of the Year is a lifelong honor. As the New Jersey Youth of the Year, Alexandra will serve as a spokesperson for Boys & Girls Club kids and teens across the state as a role model that they can admire and emulate.”

Founded in 1947 as Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s premier youth recognition program, Youth of the Year recognizes outstanding contributions to a member’s family, school, community, and Boys & Girls Club. The Youth of the Year program is supported by Toyota and Kohl’s. As the Signature Sponsors of Youth of the Year, Toyota and Kohl’s are committed to partnering with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to ensure local Clubs provide life-enhancing opportunities for kids and teens to explore, develop, and apply the essential skills they need to be successful in life and work. Youth of the Year representatives are the workforce leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers of tomorrow. 

On June 20, Alexandra will join other state Youth of the Year to vie for the Northeast regional title. If named the regional Youth of the Year, she will be awarded an additional $20,000 college scholarship. The five finalists along with the National Military Youth of the Year, will advance to the National Youth of the Year event in September 2024 to vie for the title of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Youth of the Year. The National Youth of the Year receives an additional scholarship of $50,000 and a brand-new Toyota Corolla.

Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey is an alliance of 22 Boys & Girls Club organizations serving more than 55,000 youth ages 5-18 throughout the Garden State.  Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey is a collaborative effort representing all 22 Clubs with the purpose of building local Club capacity; raising public awareness; and securing resources and financial support to increase the impact and reach of NJ Clubs.

For more than 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has provided a safe place for kids and teens to learn and grow. Clubs offer caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Clubs programming promotes academic success, good character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles. More than 5,200 Clubs serve 3.3 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. National headquarters are located in Atlanta.