Maya Shimabukuro-King Named 2021 Youth of the Year

ST. CLOUD -- Three local teenagers are being honored by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota.

This year’s Youth of the Year event was held virtually on Tuesday and recognized Shukri Abdi, Maya Shimabukuro-King, and Kanye Swap from the Southside, Eastside, and Roosevelt clubs.

Shimabukuro-King was selected as the central Minnesota youth of the year and will receive a $500 scholarship and advance to the state competition for a chance to win a $20,000 Home Team Scholarship award.

She is a 10th grader at Tech High School, has been a member of the Boys and Girls Club for 10 years, is an active volunteer both in the club and in the community, and was awarded the Central Minnesota Optimist Youth Appreciation Award last year.

Abdi is an 11th grader at Tech and is planning on entering the nursing field after graduation. Swap is a 10th grader at Apollo High School and plans to pursue a master’s degree in zoology at UCLA before opening his own veterinary clinic.

The state Youth of the Year competition will be held in April.