Sarah Ali of Burlington, a member of the Boys and Girls Club of Burlington, has been named the Vermont Boys and Girls Club’s Youth of the Year for 2023. She will receive a $2,500 college scholarship and represent Vermont at the Northeast Youth of the Year competition in New York City later this spring.
The Youth of the Year Award is given to the Boys and Girls Club member who best represents the organization's ideals of leading, succeeding and inspiring. Finalists for the award made brief presentations April 6 in Montpelier before community members and state leaders on an issue about which they are passionate.
Ali spoke about the need to normalize talking about mental health.
"I wanted to share that it's completely OK to speak out and that it's going to be difficult," Ali told WPTZ-TV. "It's not going to be easy at first, but the more you step forward, the more you ease your way into it. You're not going to regret it. If you feel like you need help, I say you should seek it."