Kylie George, our 2022 Youth of the Year!
Kiley graduated from Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High School in 2022 and is currently in her sophomore year at the University of Rhode Island where she is working towards her bachelor's degree in Marine Affairs and Political Science. Her studies explore issues confronting policymakers and marine managers at the local, state, regional, national, and international levels. Kiley was a member of our Tiger Sharks Swim Team throughout her 11-year membership at our Taunton Clubhouse and traveled with the team 9 times to Florida for national competitions! Today, Kiley continues her Club involvement as a lifeguard at our Taunton Clubhouse and Camp Riverside summer day camp.
In February of 2023, Kiley had the opportunity to attend Boys & Girls Clubs of America's National Days of Advocacy convening in Washington, DC! There, she joined leaders from across the BGCA Movement in meetings with members from the offices of Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Ed Markey, Congressman Jake Auchincloss, and Congressman Stephen Lynch to advocate for the needs of our Clubs and members.
"When I first began attending Boys & Girls Club of Metro South’s Taunton Clubhouse, I was seven years old. I had just started the second grade and joined a swim team the year prior. I always had an affinity for the water while also falling a bit short of my peers on land, something that made me feel occasionally isolated and different. When a family friend of mine joined the Club's Swim Team and told my family all about it, I knew it sounded like a place for me. I don’t think I ever could’ve predicted how true that would become.
As I grew up the Boys & Girls Club’s staff and members became some of the most consistent people in my life. I spent sometimes six or seven days a week at the Club, competing with other members of the swim team. It was through those long and hard work-filled weeks that I learned valuable skills I still use every day. The most notable skill would be using my voice.
If I could tell other kids or teens anything about the club, it would be to utilize it to its
maximum potential. The programs, staff, and opportunities combine to create one of the most supportive and beneficial environments a young person can be surrounded by. Without the club, I would never have made it as far as I have, with my best friends and biggest role models all cheering me on from inside the organization. I doubt I will ever find another establishment that parallels the Boys and Girls Club of Metro South or any other location within the association."