
Outstanding teens from eight Arizona Boys & Girls Clubs organizations compete for State’s highest Club member honors
PHOENIX, Ariz. (April 8, 2025) – The Arizona Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs and presenting sponsor Fiesta Sports Foundation are proud to announce Emma F. of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale as the 2025 Arizona State Youth of the Year and Sophia B. of the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Youth Program as 2025 Arizona Military Youth of the Year.
Youth of the Year is Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s premier youth recognition program, starting at the local Club level with candidates competing until one is ultimately named the National Youth of the Year. The Arizona Youth of the Year breakfast ceremony was held at the AC Hotel Phoenix Downtown with family, Club staff, and elected officials in attendance. Both winning candidates received a $2,500 academic award and will represent Arizona at the Pacific Region Youth of the Year competition this summer.
“We are so proud of Emma, Sophia, and all of our outstanding candidates,” said Cheyenne Walsh, partner of Compass Strategies Public Affairs and Board Chair for the Arizona Alliance. “These teens are dedicated students and leaders in their communities, and role models at their Clubs. They represent the very best of our more than 44,000 Club members in 77 Clubs across Arizona.”
Sydney Franks, the 2024 Arizona State Youth of the Year, emceed the event, presented by Fiesta Sports Foundation with support from Swire Coca-Cola. The breakfast program also included a keynote address by Latasha Causey, president of NASCAR’s Phoenix Raceway and a former Boys & Girls Club member in her native West Phoenix.
Kristina Chumpol, Fiesta Sports Foundation’s Chief Impact Officer and a past State Youth of the Year winner, announced the 2025 winners.
“The missions of Fiesta Sports Foundation and Boys & Girls Clubs align in our commitment to give outstanding teens in our state the opportunity to pursue their dreams,” said Chumpol. “The Arizona State Youth of the Year is an amazing program that gives these incredible young people every opportunity to share their stories of overcoming adversity and their successes in ways that shape who they will become and greatly impact the rest of us. We are proud to be a part of this program and celebrate together their accomplishments and everything they will achieve in the future.”

Emma, a senior at Desert Mountain High School, represents Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale. She has been attending her Club for the last 12 years, and credits the Club with shaping her into the confident leader she always aspired to be. After graduation, she plans to move to Ireland for college with the goal of one day working for the United Nations to help people in crisis.

Sophia is a sophomore at Tucson’s Mica Mountain High School and an active member of the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Youth Program, where she has been involved for the last two years. She is a service-oriented, passionate leader and an outspoken advocate for military youth. She aspires to attend Johns Hopkins University to become a general surgeon and make a lasting impact on the medical field.
Emma and Sophia will go on to compete at the regional level this summer, with the hope of advancing to Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Youth of the Year competition in their respective categories.
Each of the candidates previously competed at local levels to represent their individual Boys & Girls Club organizations before moving on to the State competition. 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. Teens must write multiple essays, participate in an extensive interview process, and deliver a three-minute speech highlighting the impact of their Club experience.
Congratulations to all the Arizona State Youth of the Year candidates:
- Sophia B., Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Youth Program, Mica Mountain High School
- Lily L., Boys & Girls Clubs of the Colorado River, River Valley High School
- Makia W., Boys & Girls Club of Flagstaff, Winslow High School
- Vanessa C., Boys & Girls Clubs of the Gila River Indian Community, Betty H. Fairfax High School
- Emma F., Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale, Desert Mountain High School
- Isaac M., Boys & Girls Club of Sierra Vista, Berean Academy
- Mya S., Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson, Tucson High Magnet School
- Amaya G., Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley, Desert Valley High School
Special thanks to the Arizona State Youth of the Year judges:
- Marchelle Franklin, Fiesta Sports Foundation
- Anita Petersen, Swire Coca-Cola
- Michael Franks, Arizona Complete Health
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About the Arizona Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs:
The Arizona Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs is made up of 17 organizations from across the State, serving more than 77 Clubs and 44,000 kids and teens each year. The Alliance was formed in 2000 to increase the Club’s visibility in communities and to advocate for Arizona’s most vulnerable youth. Clubs offer programs and services promoting and enhancing the development of youth by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging, and influence. Follow @AZABGC for more information.
About the Fiesta Sports Organization:
Since its inception in 1971, the Fiesta Sports Foundation has been a world-class community organization that executes innovative experiences, drives economic growth and champions charitable causes, inspiring pride in all Arizonans during and outside of college football bowl season. As a nonprofit organization, it is driven by its vision to create unforgettable experiences through world-class sporting events, unparalleled hospitality and life-changing community impact. Through the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Rate Bowl and its year-round events, including the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe, corporate partnerships and numerous community events throughout the year, the Foundation provides charitable resources to support Arizona nonprofit organizations that serve communities through a focus on youth, sports and education. Learn more at the Fiesta Sports Foundation website and @Fiesta_Bowl on X/Instagram.