On Thursday, March 11^th, Chancellor Smith was named Nebraska Youth of the Year before a group of Club dignitaries, state senators, Lt. Governor Rick Sheehy, friends and family. Cameron Crockrom, a member of the Offutt AFB Boys & Girls Club, received runner-up honors.

For Chancellor, Cameron and Boys & Girls Club of the Midlands YOY finalists, Jerry Geho and Brad Herring, it was a whirlwind day. At 9:00 am the candidates gave their speeches in front of a panel of judges. While the judges deliberated, Chancellor, Cameron, Jerry and Brad joined members of the Lincoln, Grand Island and Winnebago Clubs at the Nebraska State Capital to be applauded by members of the Unicam.

Following their time observing Nebraska senators debate current issues, the candidates walked across the street to the Governor’s Mansion for a luncheon in their honor. After Chancellor and Cameron were given the opportunity to speak directly to the group in attendance, Lt. Governor Sheehy stepped to the front of the room and announced Chancellor as the State’s winner.

Chancellor’s next stop is the Regional Youth of the Year Competition in Chicago this July. There he will compete against other state winners from across the Midwest Region for a $10,000 college scholarship and a chance to compete  for the national honor in Washington, DC.

Click here for more event photos.

On Monday, February 22nd, members of the Mount View Unit put their spelling skills to the test in an Olympic-inspired spelling bee. Each Club member participating in the event was given one word at a time that they spelled in front of their peers. The crowd of respectful onlookers cheered for both victory and defeat, in true Olympic fashion. Congratulations to all Club Olympians for your hard work!

click here for more pictures of the event

On January 30, 2010, over 50 members from Boys & Girls Clubs headed to the Strategic Air & Space Museum in Ashland, NE to take part in the Nebraska First Lego® League Championship. At the event, Club members competed against other youth from across the state in a series of scenarios and obstacle courses – meant to challenge their reasoning, logic and problem solving skills.

Nancy Williams, information technology director of Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands, said team members must calculate turn angles, distances, the power necessary for certain tasks and other factors. “They don’t realize they’re doing physics, but there’s a lot of physics involved” in the project, Williams said.

“It’s like a puzzle,” said Andrew, 14, of the Westside Unit’s seven-member team. “We all work together as a team, and we get everything done as a team.”

Teams from the South and Council Bluffs Units and the Morton Middle School CLC brought trophies back to their Clubs. The South team received the “Against All Odds” award for persevering through technological difficulties. Council Bluffs took 3rd place for Teamwork and Morton CLC received the Judges Award for excellence.

Click here for more photos from the Championship

Quotes from Nancy Williams and Andrew courtesy of the Omaha World-Herald. Article can be found at http://www.omaha.com/article/20100131/NEWS01/701319918

The Winter 2010 edition of the Clubhouse Newsletter is available now by clicking the image below. Download the full version to read stories on financial literacy programs, Club celebrations, the State of the Clubs from President & CEO, Fred Schott and more.