Boys & Girls Club Maui Announces Youth of the Year

Caylie Peterson, a 15-year-old sophomore at King Kekaulike High School, was selected as the 2018 Youth of the Year for Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui. Photo Courtesy

Caylie Peterson, a 15-year-old sophomore at King Kekaulike High School, was selected as the 2018 Youth of the Year for Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui.

The announcement came during the Eugene and Ruth Freedman Youth of the Year event held at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center on Wednesday, Feb. 28.

A member of the Haʻikū Clubhouse for six years, Peterson maintains a 3.7 GPA at King Kekaulike with two honors classes. After graduation, she plans to attend college for a degree in communications and graphic web design and plans to pursue a career as an art director.

Five candidates were chosen to represent their Clubhouse for this year’s annual event, which recognizes exceptional teen members who embody the values of leadership, service, academic excellence, and healthy lifestyles.

The other candidates were Jaenahleyn Kanaha (Lahaina Clubhouse), ‘Ōiwi Gormley (Paukukalo Clubhouse), Kayla Kennedy (Makawao Clubhouse) and Makamae Naleieha (Central Clubhouse). All of the candidates received scholarship funds made possible by the Eugene and Ruth Freedman Family Foundation.

The teens were judged based on their application packets that included three essays, their school grades, and letters of recommendation, as well as interviews with the panel of judges and a speech they presented during the Youth of the Year event.

Peterson will represent Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui at the State Youth of the Year event which will be held in March on Oʻahu. She will compete against youth from Boys & Girls Club of Hawaiʻi (Oʻahu and Kauaʻi), and Boys & Girls Club of the Big Island.