Travis youth recognized

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Amber Carter
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Nicole Basaca, 17, was presented an award for the local Military Youth of the Year April 23 at the Travis Air Force Base, California, Teen Zone.

Basaca, a junior at Vanden High School in Fairfield, California, is the daughter of Retired Master Sgt. Darwin Basaca and Carrie Basaca.

Military Youth of the Year is awarded by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and progresses from local to state and then regional to national through competitions involving a packet highlighting their accomplishments and accolades, multiple essays and a three-minute speech.

Club members who earn the Youth of the Year title embody the values of leadership service, academic excellence and healthy lifestyles, according to bgca.org.

"I consider her a leader and most of the kids here follow her lead," said Camille Gardner, Teen Zone interim director. "She's a very bright young lady, very spirited and some days she even graces us with a beautiful song on the piano."

Local clubs recognize members ages 14 to 18 as Youth of the Month winners and select a Youth of the Year, who then participates in state competitions. State winners each receive a $5,000 scholarship and advance to regional competitions. Regional winners receive an additional $10,000 college scholarship, renewable for four years up to $40,000, according to bgca.org.

Basaca holds a 3.97 GPA and spends her free time as a math tutor. She also volunteers as a leader at the Travis Teen Zone and has spearheaded multiple youth community service projects.

"She earned over 275 hours of volunteer service last year," said Sue Brown, Teen Zone former director and mentor. "Award hopefuls are in high school, studying for ACTs and SATs, participating in ROTC and maintaining a high GPA. She's actually taking her school books with her to the state competition and when she returns will be taking her ACTs."

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America recognized the lifestyle of military children and designated the local award to have both military and civilian participants which run parallel until the national level of the competition.

Six youth, including five regional winners and a military winner, advance to the National Youth of the Year competition for a chance at an additional scholarship of $25,000, renewable up to $100,000 for four years. The National Youth of the Year represents all Boys & Girls Club youth, according to bgca.org.

As with many military children, change, resiliency and the ability to adapt are part of everyday life. Basaca has experienced eight permanent changes of station. She has demonstrated her ability to adapt through her accomplishments such as 2011 Youth of the Year and 2014 Female Athlete of the Year at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England. Since moving to California, she also has earned the Presidential Champion Silver Award for JROTC at her current school.

"Nicole is truly a remarkable young lady who has developed resiliency, responsibility and love for cultural diversity," said Carrie Basaca, Youth Center director. "She's a very free-spirited child but very amiable and level-headed."

The state competition was scheduled for April 27 to 29 and held at Fort MacArthur, California.

For more information about the Teen Zone, call 424-3131