Sandusky teen named club’s Youth of Year

Lorain teen finishes third

Sandusky High School senior Samarion Newell was named Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio‘s 2023 Youth of the Year in the Feb. 22 competition, according to a news release.

Newell, 18, a multiplesport athlete who plans to study finance in college, now moves on to state competition in April.

Newell, a member of student council, National

Honor Society, United

Black Students and Business Professionals of America,

also received a $5,000 scholarship, the release said.

“I am so excited — not everyone gets such an opportunity and I intend to make the most of it,” he said in the release.

Finishing second and receiving a $3,000 scholarship was Taylyn Banta, 15, a freshman at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, where she sports a 3.9 grade point average and plays junior varsity and varsity basketball.

Third-place finisher and the winner of a $2,000 scholarship was Mathew Breban, 17, a Lorain High School senior who plays varsity baseball.

The Youth of the Year competition is one of the Club’s signature programs and is open to all members ages 14-18 who meet academic standards and are involved in community and Club activities, according to the release.

Through the Youth of the Year program, young people showcase their talents and achievements, share their hopes and dreams, and work toward a bright and positive future, the release said.

The competition took place at Equity Trust in Westlake.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio, which was formed by the 2019 merger of Clubs in Cleveland, Akron, Lorain County and Sandusky, now has 50 locations in five counties, according to the news release.

Newell