Boys & Girls Club member Erick Villalta was named the 2016 Youth of the Year, selected from among 14 local youth, at the club’s second annual Youth Leadership Dinner at the Ethan Allen Hotel in Danbury this March.

The club also honored Character and Leadership Program members, including the fifth grade Gem Club, the middle school Torch Club and the high school Keystone Club, and individually recognized members for their commitment and achievements. The dinner concluded with crowning the 2016 Youth of the Year, the club’s biggest annual award.

Villalta, a Ridgefield High School senior and longtime club member, will receive the Ralph B. Crouchley $1,500 college scholarship. “Erick is a true example of a commendable young man recognized for his outstanding contributions to his family, school, community, and our club, as well as for overcoming personal challenges and obstacles. The program encourages cub members to reach their full potential by achieving academic success, leading healthy lifestyles and contributing to their communities, and Erick is a shining example of this,” said Mike Flynn, the club’s executive director.

Villalta moved to Ridgefield from El Salvador when he was 9 years old, and the club was one of his first stops. He quickly became a daily visitor, and would head directly to the gym. For the past two years, he has been a member of the Keystone Club and has helped bring the fund-raising committee to heightened levels. His commitment to Keystone and the club led him to be selected as one of Ridgefield Magazine’s 2016 dynamic teens. He was selected to attend two national Keystone conferences, and in the summer and after school he is a junior staff member on the club’s facilities team.

“I can credit the Boys & Girls Club for saving my life. It not only helped me stay out of trouble in and outside of the club, but it served as a parent that taught me values in life, disciplined me in the proper manner, gave me a place to go instead of getting in trouble, and provided me with all the supportive figures I could ever want or need in my life. The club has truly provided me a bright future, and I am proud to say that my great future started here,” he said.

In May he will compete against other Boys & Girls Club members for the Connecticut Youth of the Year title and a $2,500 college scholarship. Finalists for the honor have included John Balsamo, Emily Browne, Jackson Hinds, Liam Greenan, Nina Taubes, Mikhaela Miller, William Heese, Molly Williams, Colleen Keenan, Mia Liu, Catalina Carmona, Sarah Armstrong, and Chris Cozens.

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