Nzingha Rothmiller from Boys & Girls Clubs of Gloucester County receives $40K college scholarship and will vie for national title this fall
Selected among 12 outstanding finalists from Boys & Girls Clubs across the region, Nzingha Rothmiller from Boys & Girls Clubs of Gloucester County has been named the Northeast Youth of the Year by Boys & Girls Clubs of America. At the Northeast Youth of the Year Celebration event in New York City, supported by sponsors The Walt Disney Company and Toyota, Rothmiller was presented with a $10,000 college scholarship renewable for up to four years, leading to a total of $40,000.
Rothmiller was selected as the Northeast Youth of the Year because of her leadership at the Club and her commitment to giving back to her community. She is passionate about empowering youth to use their voice and speak up on issues they care about. Rothmiller believes youth today are strong, well-educated and have the power to create change in their communities.
“As a Youth of the Year, I am ready to be the person that lights that spark in our youth to become what I know we can be,” Rothmiller stated. “With a bit of guidance, a good education, and a lot of passion, I know today’s kids and teens are well on their way to establishing positive change for America’s future.”
Rothmiller started attending the Woodbury Boys & Girls Club in the fourth grade. Before joining the Club, she was shy and timid. It’s there where she stepped outside her comfort zone and discovered a love for cooking and the Club’s multimedia program. Rothmiller went from not being able to bear standing in front of an audience to producing multiple films, including a whole cooking show series.
“I had no idea the impact the Club would have on me,” said Rothmiller. “I just knew that I needed to be somewhere besides home after school. In just a little over a month, I noticed that I was becoming a more confident person. The Club provided me with a positive and uplifting environment to give me the confidence that I never knew I had.”
In September, she will travel to Washington D.C. to contend for the National Youth of the Year title, which comes with an additional $100,000 scholarship and the opportunity to serve as a spokesperson for Boys & Girls Clubs of America representing four million Club kids and teens.
Founded more than seventy years ago in 1947 as Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s premier youth recognition program, Youth of the Year recognizes outstanding contributions to a member’s family, school, community and Boys & Girls Club. The Youth of the Year recognition program is presented by The Walt Disney Company, who has supported Boys & Girls Clubs of America for more than 50 years, empowering young people to reach their full potential and providing youth with access to the tools they need to build the great futures they imagine. Toyota is the Signature Sponsor of the national Youth of the Year program.
