Boys & Girls Club of Tabula Rasa
Exceptional teen named
local Youth of the Year
BRISTOL, FL – We are thrilled to announce that Waylon Hudgins, a member of the Liberty County High School Site, has been named Youth of the Year for the Boys & Girls Club of Tabula Rasa.
The Youth of the Year title is a prestigious honor bestowed upon an exemplary young person in recognition of leadership, service, academic excellence, dedication to a healthy lifestyle, and readiness for life and the workforce. Now in its 78th year, the Youth of the Year program honors our nation’s most inspiring young people on their path to great futures.
Waylon will compete in the Florida State Youth of the Year competition, held in Tallahassee from April 6 to 8, in conjunction with Florida Advocacy Days. If Waylon is named the Florida Youth of the Year, he will contend for the title of Southeast Youth of the Year, which includes an additional $20,000 college scholarship. Six finalists will advance to compete for the title of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Youth of the Year. The National Youth of the Year will receive an additional $50,000 scholarship.
Waylon has been a Club member for five years. He credits his Club with helping him manage his ADHD and hone his focus to become a more successful student. In turn, this allowed him to grow his confidence and leadership qualities. He now leads Club activities and STEM projects, helps with homework, and acts as a Club Mentor. Not only does he excel in the Club setting, but he also takes charge in his high school. He is a member of the Student Council and serves as the Team Leader in his welding class. As Team Leader, he strives to lead his team with respect and patience.
While Waylon is excelling in high school, he has a three-year plan ready to put into action once he graduates. This plan includes traveling to Japan to study engineering and construction, specializing in creating sustainable infrastructure for natural disasters. His personal experience with a Category 5 hurricane completely changed his life. Because of this, he has a vision—one that will give back to his community and hopefully have a positive impact on the world.
The Boys & Girls Club of Tabula Rasa, which is Latin for “clean slate,” proudly serves youth ages 5-18 across Madison, Liberty, Calhoun, and Jackson counties, providing a safe and supportive environment where young people can learn, grow, and thrive. Our programs focus on academic success, offering homework help and tutoring while promoting fitness, workforce development, and enrichment opportunities to equip young people with the skills they need for a bright future.
Our Liberty County Site, “The Club,” is FREE to attend and serves youth ages 12-18. Through engaging activities and dedicated mentorship, we are committed to empowering the next generation to reach their full potential.
For more information, please contact Site Director Paige Willis via email at pwillis@bgctr.org or visit www.bgctr.org.
We are incredibly proud of Waylon and wish him all the best as he competes for the Florida State Youth of the Year award on April 6-8.
