Alexis Standefer, Haden Bates chosen Youth of the Year
GRAVETTE — 2016 Youths of the Year for Decatur and for Gravette were honored at the annual Boys & Girls Club banquet Tuesday, Feb. 7, at the Gravette Civic Center. Youths of the Month were recognized and each was presented a plaque and a $10 Walmart gift card. Then the Youth of the Year honorees were announced. Both youngsters, Alexis Standefer of Decatur and Haden Bates of Gravette, were presented plaques and $50 Walmart gift cards.
Ashley Oosterman, area director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Benton County, welcomed banquet guests and introduced Chris Shimer, CPO of the Boys & Girls Clubs, from Siloam Springs, and Mark Heinen, who works with the 21st Century program. She then introduced the candidates for the awards as a video slide show displayed their photos.
Jeff Gravette, superintendent of Decatur schools, was guest speaker for the banquet. Gravette is a board member of the Boys & Girls Club of Western Benton County and also a member of the state Boys & Girls Club board. He reminded the youth present that what they are doing today will influence their future. He encouraged them to be willing to volunteer for activities that were outside their areas of interest and to be role models for other youth.
He thanked Oosterman and Heinen for making the banquet arrangements, saying an event like this takes cooperation and requires the support of sever- al. “It doesn’t just happen,” he said. Because of the hard work of the local staff members, the Western Benton County clubs are among the fastest-growing in the state, Gravette noted.
A Youth of the Month is chosen each month throughout the year. The Youth of the Year is selected from among the monthly winners.
“The students chosen as Youth of the Month have had a good attitude around the club, they have been helpful,” Oosterman said. “They have also shown leadership skills and have made good choices overall.”
Youths of the Month for Decatur were: Cooper White, January; Alexis Standefer, February; Xaila Neighbors, March; Bryan Ruiz, April; Cadence Shelton, May; Aleck Echevarria, June; Zane Luker, July; Joshua Crook, August; Esme Gibson, September; Cam’Ron Vang, October; Poli Xiong, November; and Bailey Leonard, December.
Youths of the Month for Gravette were: Keilei King, January; Dallas Lingo, February; Addie Bates, March; Makenna Davis, April; Ryan (last name withheld), May; Stormey Jo Pembleton, June; Kinsley Burrow, July; Alexander Pendleton, August; Haden Bates, September; Logan Bates, October; Allie Cook, November; and Cainen McCool, December.
Banquet guests were served a buffet meal of barbecue beef sandwiches, smoked sausage links, potato salad, baked beans, cookies and tea.
Arvest Bank in Gravette and Grand Savings Bank in Decatur made donations to help with the event.