West Ottawa senior Jaquelin Barajas named 2024 Holland Youth of the Year
HOLLAND — Holland’s 2024 Youth of the Year wants to inspire others to see past their differences and embrace diversity to build a better community.
Jaquelin Barajas, a senior at West Ottawa High School, was named the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Holland’s 29th Youth of the Year on Thursday, March 21.
The honor was announced during the club’s new “Great Futures Gathering,” a combination of its Youth of the Year and Steak and Burger Fundraiser, at the Holland Civic Center.
Barajas said participating in Youth of the Year has been a dream since her older sister, Leslie, was nominated in 2016.
“This has been a dream ever since I’ve seen my sister on this stage giving her speech and I’m so thankful to be here living that dream,” she said after being named the winner. Barajas also thanked her fellow nominees, saying: “To be able to see these nominees grow with me is so amazing. This award is for all of us, not just for me.”
There were six nominees for this year’s honor — all West Ottawa High School Students. Nominees were Barajas, Dulce Salazar, Miguel Mendoza, Ricardo Rodriguez, April Fuentes and Madison Moore.
Each spoke Thursday, sharing about their life journey and how the club has affected them. During her speech, Barajas highlighted the importance of embracing different cultures in creating a unified community.
“As a student from a diverse background, I understand the importance of diversity and multiculturalism,” she said. “When people fail to embrace cultural competence, they are blindfolding themselves from the beauty of unity.
“Being knowledgeable and open-minded to different cultural values and beliefs builds a communication style that benefits all and creates a more inclusive and enriching learning environment.”
Barajas said she sees that environment when she’s at the Boys and Girls Club. She plans to study public policy and social science at Michigan State University in hopes of spreading that environment.
“We need to see past our differences and realize that it can unite us instead of divide us,” she said. “Lailah Gifty Akita once said ‘The darkness of ignorance blindfolds us.’ It is time to remove our blindfolds and see life for what it can truly be.”
Barajas is an eight-year member of BGCGH. She's also on the Holland Youth Advisory Council and was a nominee for the Youth Social Justice Award. She was previously nominated for Youth of the Year in 2022.
Youth of the Year is the premier youth recognition program for the Boys and Girls Club of America. It honors and celebrates “inspiring teens and their incredible journeys.” The nominees write essays, give speeches and participate in interviews with community members and judges.
Subscribe: Receive unlimited access to your breaking news coverage
As the local club winner, Barajas advances to the state competition, with the chance to advance to regional and national levels. Last year’s, Holland club winner Isabel Shepard was a finalist for the National Youth of the Year.
Of the 28 previous winners at the Holland club, six have gone on to win the state award.
— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: West Ottawa's Jaquelin Barajas named 2024 Holland Youth of the Year
