Boys & Girls Clubs of America Announces Inaugural National Youth Advisory Council
ATLANTA, August 12, 2025 – Boys & Girls Clubs of America announces today it has formed its inaugural National Youth Advisory Council, giving young people a formal platform to influence programs and services at Clubs across the country. The council is composed of teens, aged 14 to 17, who will serve as advisors to the organization’s national office.
The group of teens will collaborate with Boys & Girls Clubs of America staff on national programs, offering their unique perspectives to help the organization support local Clubs as well as Youth Centers on U.S. military bases. Through their participation, they will develop leadership and professional skills, learn research techniques, and gather feedback from their peers.
“The creation of the National Youth Advisory Council is a powerful promise to our youth that they aren’t just at the center of our work—they are the driving force behind it,” said Jennifer Bateman, senior vice president of Youth Development at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “Their input is essential to ensuring the programs and services we offer remain relevant and impactful for every young person who walks through the doors of a Boys & Girls Club.”
The council application was open to teens across more than 5,500 Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide, with an intensive selection process identifying the exceptional young people who will serve, each having demonstrated leadership, service, and accountability within their Clubs. To ensure the council accurately reflects the perspectives and needs of today’s kids and teens, young people themselves helped develop the selection criteria, which includes ensuring council members represent the range of Club communities nationally.
The National Youth Advisory Council term will run for one school year, from August 2025 to May 2026, and includes an in-person kickoff event in Atlanta, followed by monthly virtual meetings.
2025-26 National Youth Advisory Council Members
- Serigne B., Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta (Georgia)
- Jacquelyn F., Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena (California)
- Sophia F., Sarah Heinz House (Pennsylvania)
- Britany G., Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada
- Marley G., Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Houston (Texas)
- Brook’Lynn H., Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota
- Holden J., Boys & Girls Club of Benton County (Arkansas)
- Crystal L., John M. Barry Boys & Girls Club of Newton (Massachusetts)
- Jakeclaude M., Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County (Florida)
- Natalia S-R., JBG Lewis-McChord CYS Services (Washington)
- Makia W., Boys & Girls Club of Flagstaff (Arizona)
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) 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. Over 5,500 Clubs serve more than 4 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. The national headquarters is located in Atlanta. Learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of America on Facebook and LinkedIn.
