Adrian Johnson Honored for Making Positive Changes

MORENO VALLEY >> A Moreno Valley high school senior has been named Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Redlands-Riverside’s 2016 Youth of the Year. Adrian Michael Johnson Jr., 17, will be honored along with the Club’s six Youth of the Year Ambassadors at the Be Great Awards in Moreno Valley on May 6. Adrian gave the winning speech at the competition for San Bernardino and Riverside County clubs earlier in March in Palm Springs. As Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Redlands-Riverside’s Youth of the Year, Adrian will serve as spokesman for the Clubs and will receive scholarships for college. He will also compete April 6 for the California Youth of the Year title and a $5,000 college scholarship from Boys & Girls Clubs of America. A senior at Rancho Verde High School, Adrian has been involved with the Club’s Moreno Valley site for three years. He turned his failing grades around in his freshman year of high school thanks to Boys & Girls Clubs. “For long time, I didn’t think I’d graduate, and they helped me,” Adrian said. “They could see I was struggling and a staff member actually knew the math I needed help with. He said, ‘Let me show you a few tricks of the trade to help you out,’ and after I saw that, my grades were steadily increasing.” Adrian faced other challenges besides academics. He grew up around drug use and moved often, causing him to develop a pessimistic outlook on life. He was depressed and overreacted to small things. After joining the Boys & Girls Club, Adrian became optimistic, got help connecting with peers, and learned to be calm and patient in different situations. He started helping other members with schoolwork, assisting with activities, and cleanup. Adrian hopes to attend UC San Diego to study acting. His passion is to bring the arts to low-income communities. Adrian and six other high school students -- Adrian Raquel Chavez, Isabel Cruz, Karla Ponce, Destiny and Stephanie Puente, and Diego Soto -- were chosen as Youth of the Year Ambassadors for their character and citizenship, academics, and commitment to a healthy lifestyle. They each wrote three essays, gave a short speech and were interviewed by a panel of judges, which included educators, physicians, and other community professionals. Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Youth of the Year program “honors the nation’s most awe-inspiring young people on their path to great futures and encourages all kids to lead, succeed, and inspire.” If Adrian wins the state competition, he will compete for the title of Pacific Region Youth of the Year and an additional $10,000 college scholarship, renewable for four years up to $40,000. Five regional winners will advance to Washington, D.C., in September, to compete for the title of National Youth of the Year. The National Youth of the Year will receive an additional scholarship of $25,000, renewable each year up to $100,000 and will have the chance to meet the president at the White House.