Salem Youth of the Year

Who: Ryan Frias
Age: 15
What: Salem Youth of the Year

Today's BIY story is a short article about Ryan Frias, who was recently named the Salem Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year.


Salem club's top youth already focused on giving back
By Amanda McGregor
Staff writer

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SALEM — When Ryan Frias attended the Boys & Girls Club spring gala and auction last week, he didn't expect to be named Youth of the Year.

He was among four finalists who prepared acceptance speeches in advance, but, still, he didn't anticipate the win.

"I couldn't believe it," he said, recalling the moment his name was called. "My heart was pumping, and I had an adrenaline rush. I had good competition. I really didn't think I was going to win.

"It's indescribable."

Next, Ryan will compete in the regional Youth of the Year contest in May, which is followed by the nationals. The national winner is featured in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America magazine and serves as a representative for the national organization for a year. The state and national winners also receive college scholarships.

"It's an amazing opportunity for them," said AnnMarie Tanzella, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem. "We're always hearing about the tough challenges of kids, but we also want to share the successes."

Ryan, a freshman at Salem High School, started going to the Salem club when he was in sixth grade.

"I think that the Boys & Girls Club is the best thing in the world — it's done a lot for me," said Ryan, a lifelong Salem resident of the Point neighborhood. He attended elementary school at Nathaniel Bowditch School.

Ryan is captain of the club's traveling basketball team and works there as a junior staff member five afternoons a week, running tournaments and games in the gym and overseeing homework time, among other duties.

"(The club) made me more mature," said Ryan, 15. "They show me right from wrong, (and) I make better decisions. We do some great programs."

For the award, the staff targeted a group of about 10 children who are good role models and wrote essays about them and required the children to write essays about themselves.

Four finalists were selected and interviewed and wrote two essays, one about themselves and another about the club, according to Tanzella.

"We interview them each on their moral character, their life goals, education," Tanzella said, "and they needed to get a number of references."

The other finalists were Bonnibel Gonzalez, 15, Emiluis Perez, 16, and Lindsay Moreta, 15, who are all students at Salem High School, according to program director Jodi Sperling.

As for Ryan's goals?

"I want to be a child psychologist and open my own day care — and go to school for contracting so I can build the school," he said. "I want to combine (my interests). ... I want to open a place that's as good at the Boys & Girls Club."

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