Cochrane named Youth of the Year

The High Point Enterprise, N.C.
·2 min read

Apr. 19—HIGH POINT — Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater High Point recently named Khalayah Cochrane of High Point as the 2021 Youth of the Year, the highest award given by Boys and Girls Clubs of America on the local level.

A junior at High Point Central High School with a 4.0 grade-point average, Cochrane has been a member at the Southside Club for 11 years. During that time, she has participated in Girl Scouts and served as a Boys & Girls Club junior staff member. At High Point Central, she has been a member of the Beta Club, Track & Field and women's basketball team. After high school, Cochrane plans to attend N.C. A&T State University.

A panel of club staff and volunteers served as judges to select Cochrane as this year's Youth of the Year honoree.

Floyd Johnson, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater High Point, congratulated Cochrane for her hard work and dedication.

"Khalayah is the ideal ambassador of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater High Point, and we are proud to name her Youth of the Year," Johnson said. "She embodies the values of leadership and service, and has proven academic excellence."

Southside Club Director Travis Moore said Cochrane serves as "a leader for her peers by prompting open discussions about healthy eating habits and lifestyles, making positive choices and planning for their futures after high school. Khalayah provokes her peers to challenge themselves to become better each and every day."

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater High Point will honor Cochrane and other club members during its online fundraiser event, "Stake and Burger LIVE," streaming live on Monday, April 26, at 8 p.m. on hpclubs.org and facebook.com/bgcghp.

Each year, youth from various Boys & Girls Clubs across North Carolina compete for the opportunity to represent the state as Youth of the Year. The winner of the state title competes in the regional competition. Five regional winners will be considered for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Youth of the Year.

Club members must embody the values of leadership and service, academic excellence and a healthy lifestyle to achieve the title of Youth of the Year on any level. The scoring includes candidate essays, an interview, a speech, letters of recommendation and overall application quality.