The Youth of the Year celebration is the premiere event of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Manteca and Lathrop.
Kiana King will be advancing to the regional competition. The East Union High junior earned that ticket by capturing Wednesday’s local event at Chez Shari in the club house of the Manteca Park Golf Course.
She was announced as the local club’s 2017 Youth of the Year.
King expressed her thanks to those who made this honor possible, including her grandparents.
“They’re the ones who introduced me to the Boys & Girls Club (in Manteca) six years ago,” she said.
Eric Nascimento, an East Union sophomore, was also named Youth of the Year for Manteca.
Jaidalee Franklin, Jocelyn Gutierrez and Stevie Vallejo were finalists.
For their efforts, all five will have a chance to attend an upcoming Golden State Warriors NBA game at Oracle Arena compliments of Phil Waterford of Manteca Ford Mercury.
Lathrop Elementary School eighth grader Kevin Ballesteros Paz was Youth of the Year for the Lathrop club.
The program area Youth of the Year Awards went to the following:
uAthlete of the Year — Selena Lopez (Manteca), Tony Cuevas (Lathrop).
uEducational Student of the Year —Ellianna Jasso (Manteca), Brandon Martinez (Lathrop).
uThe Kathy Aartman Artist of the Year — Emma Noah (Manteca), Andrea Lemus (Lathrop).
uDance Member of the Year — Esmeralda Lopez (Manteca), Gabriel Espinosa (Lathrop).
uThe Junior Leadership Award — Ellianna Jasso (Manteca), Veronica Cuevas (Lathrop)
uSocial Recreation Member of the Year — Joseph Walton (Lathrop).
uMartial Artist of the Year — Payton Willox (Manteca).
uJunior Social Recreation Member of the Year —  Kayla Godsoe (Manteca).
uTeen Center Member of the Year — Jocelyn Gutierrez (Manteca).
uDreamers Keystone Club Leader of the Year — Khalela King.
The Youth of the Year celebration kicked off with board President Amy Kieffer welcoming those in attendance.
Last year’s Youth of the Year Trayana Davis led in the Pledge of Allegiance while Manteca Mayor Steve DeBrum delivered the invocation.