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Near West Side Teen Named Boys & Girls Clubs' Youth Of The Year

By Stephanie Lulay | March 28, 2017 8:42am
 Fabio Moss, a 17-year-old from the Near West Side, was named the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago’s 2017 Youth of the Year this month.
Fabio Moss, a 17-year-old from the Near West Side, was named the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago’s 2017 Youth of the Year this month.
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Boys And Girl Clubs of Chicago

NEAR WEST SIDE — A Near West Side student who is passionate about social justice issues is headed to college with some extra help after winning the Boys & Girls Clubs' top Chicago award this month. 

Fabio Moss, a 17-year-old member of the James R. Jordan Boys & Girls Club on the Near West Side, has been named the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago's 2017 Youth of the Year.

As part of the award, Moss received $11,000 in scholarships, round-trip tickets anywhere in the world, a Microsoft Surface Pro laptop and four tickets to see the White Sox. 

The youngest of seven brothers, Moss entered the contest after a mentor encouraged him to apply.

"They said my name, and I just couldn't believe that I won," said Moss, a senior at Rowe Clark Math & Science Academy in Garfield Park. "It was surprising." 

Moss, who grew up near Adams and Western, said he draws his motivation to succeed from his mother. After losing his father and a friend and seeing some of the mistakes his brothers made, the teen said he committed at a young age to making a difference in his neighborhood.

"I look up to all of my brothers. Either they teach me from their example, or I learned what not to do from their mistakes," Moss said. 

At school, Moss is a member of the National Honor Society, student government, Senior Council and Life Coaches. At the Jordan Club, Moss is a member of the Torch and Keystone clubs, among other activities. 

And his hard work has paid off — the teen is headed to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign this fall, studying electrical engineering. 

As part of his award, Moss got to meet Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago’s honorary chairman.

Fabio Moss, a senior at Rowe Clark Math & Science Academy, is awarded the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago’s 2017 Youth of the Year Award. [Boys And Girl Clubs of Chicago]

Moss was one of six finalists for the award. Other finalists included Katrina Locust of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Club; Christian Gamez of the Louis L. Valentine Club; Maximiliano Martinez of the Little Village Club; Monserrat Garcia of the True Value Club; and Na’Teah McLemore of the Ford Heights Club.

Moss now moves on to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Illinois State competition with the opportunity to advance to the regional and national competitions.

Finalists spent 11 weeks preparing for the event by writing essays and working together to develop their voices before presenting speeches to more than 800 guests at Navy Pier's Grand Ballroom earlier this month, said Kevin Wilson, spokesman for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago.

The Youth of the Year winner is annually chosen by a panel of judges who base their selection on four criteria: the candidate's academic achievement and extracurricular activities; a series of essays the candidates write on their club experience; an interview with the judges panel and a speech given at the fundraising event. 

Judges look for the candidate who most demonstrates hard work, perseverance in the face of adversity, and a commitment to bettering their community, Wilson said. 

The March 7 charity event raised more than $1 million to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago's mission. 

Finalist gifts and scholarships were sponsored by former Boys & Girls Club Chairman Craig Martin, the George and Cindy Rusu Family Foundation, United Airlines and the Chicago White Sox. 

The award finalists are shown at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago’s 2017 Youth of the Year ceremony earlier this month. [Boys And Girl Clubs of Chicago]