Kale Tornwini of Burlington has been named the 2021 Vermont State Youth of the Year. Graduating from Burlington High School this spring, Kale will be attending Middlebury College in the fall to pursue a degree in Psychology.
Awarded to a Vermont Boys & Girls Club member annually, the Youth of the Year is presented to a person who encompasses their Club’s mission to realize their full potential as a productive, healthy, responsible and caring citizen. In addition, the winner represents the role of mentor to their younger club members, demonstrating their leadership skills by instilling the same dedication to Club values of education, healthy lifestyles and community involvement that helped them achieve their success.
Through the character development and educational programs offered by The Boys & Girls Club of Burlington, Kale has grown into an accomplished and confident young adult. The Club’s Teen Program Director, John Stackhouse proudly describes Kale as someone who is “exceptional in every way”. Provided with opportunities like hiking to the tops of mountain peaks and flying planes in partnership with the Vermont Flight Academy, Kale has said “The Boys and Girls Club of Burlington has had a profound impact on developing my character. They have inspired me to put myself out there and be the best version of myself.”
Throughout a difficult recovery from a season ending basketball injury, the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington was a safe space for Kale to recuperate both physically and mentally. She recounts how “[the] Club recognized this and stepped in to help me get through it. They checked in on me every day after practice, they made sure that I was eating and keeping up with my nutrition, and they provided me with a safe space to share my thoughts and my feelings whenever I was having trouble.” After overcoming both the physical and mental barriers her injury presented, Kale was chosen as the BHS girls’ varsity basketball team captain during her senior year. Further demonstrating her impressive ability to overcome adversity as well as her leadership style and great skills for connecting with younger teammates and Club members, Kale is also a youth development professional and a counselor at the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington summer camp.
Kale will go on to represent the Boys & Girls Club of Burlington and compete in the Northeast Youth of the Year program taking place on June 24th.
Our mission is to inspire and enable youth in our community, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, healthy, caring and responsible citizens.