17-year-old from Elgin is Boys & Girls Clubs' state youth of the year

Seventeen-year-old Damaryan Benton, a senior at Elgin High School praised for his leadership and commitment to helping younger kids, was named 2019 Illinois Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Damaryan will serve as ambassador for teens in the state, will get a $5,000 college scholarship from the organization, and will compete in the Midwest regional youth of the year event July 18 in Chicago. That winner will compete for the national title this fall in Washington, D.C.

"It was amazing," Damaryan said of his state win this week.

The best part of the experience was connecting with youths from across the state, Damaryan said. "The stories may have been different and we all come from different schools and different places, but the thing that made a difference, what really affected us, was that the Boys & Girls club impacted the way we are today."

There are 23 Boys & Girls clubs in Illinois and each has "some level" of youth of the year activity or celebration, said Bryan Soady, director of the Illinois Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs. Damaryan, named youth of the year by the Elgin club last month, was among 11 finalists selected to vie for the state title in Springfield, Soady said.

The program established in 1947 "recognizes club members who, with the help of their club, have met personal challenges head-on and, despite the odds, have given back to their club and community," the Illinois Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs states on its website. Winners have demonstrated "service to club, community and family; academic success; strong moral character; life goals; and poise and public speaking ability."

Damaryan grew up with his mother in Elgin. His father was gunned down in Chicago when he was 11. He started working at age 15 to help the family and credits the club with providing him material support - food, clothes and shoes - as well as emotional support.

Deborah Ficken, director of program services for the Elgin club, said last month that Damaryan "exemplifies a lot of the character traits that we try to instill into the youth."

Damaryan said he plans to attend Judson University in Elgin on a four-year, full-ride scholarship offered by the university as a partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Elgin. He wants to study business administration and communications.