The Boys & Girls Clubs of Wichita Falls is proud to announce July Youths of the Month. Mah’haya McKinnon, of the Northwest Branch, is the Kiwanis Club of Wichita Falls Youth of the Month. Kristina Beverly Brown, of the Southeast Branch, is the Optimist Club of Wichita Falls Youth of the Month. Williams Nzeh-Biko, of the Rosewood Branch, is the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls Youth of the Month.
Service clubs sponsor three age divisions. Kiwanis Club of Wichita Falls sponsors 6-8 year olds. Optimist of Wichita Falls sponsors 9-11 year olds. Rotary Club of Wichita Falls sponsors 12-18 year olds. Interviewers John Wilson, representing the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls, and Rex Parsons, representing the Optimist Club of Wichita Falls, considered the following attributes while selecting the City Wide Youths of the Month:
- Home & Family Involvement
- Community Contributions
- Academic Achievements
- Boys & Girls Club participation
- Spiritual Values
Nominees for the Kiwanis Division included:
- Corde’a Bradley, Rosewood Branch
- Keyanna Jones, Northeast Branch
- Mah’haya McKinnon, Northwest Branch
- Kellen Belcher, Southeast Branch
- Lily Leija, Southwest Branch
- Kaylee Poling, Central Branch
Nominees for the Optimist Division included:
- Sparkle Cowart, Rosewood Branch
- Ja’ree Wright, Northeast Branch
- Frank Anderson, Northwest Branch
- Kristina Beverly Brown, Southeast Branch
- Mackenzie Deaver, Southwest Branch
- Shannon Brantley, Central Branch
Nominees for the Rotary Division included:
- Williams Nzehbiko, Rosewood Branch
- No candidate, Northeast Branch
- Dymeterion Wade, Northwest Branch
- No candidate, Southeast Branch
- Areanna Walsh, Southwest Branch
- Olexa Williams, Central Branch
Generous sponsors include: Raising Cain’s Chicken Fingers and Times/Record News
Mah’haya McKinnon is the seven-year-old daughter of Quindera Davis. She attends the Northwest Branch where Mr. Jerry Taylor is Club Director.
Besides mom and herself, Ma’haya has a two-year-old brother. She straightens and cleans her own room and helps her mom with the housework. Ma’haya also helps in the kitchen with meal preparations and cleanup. Additional duties include taking out the trash and supervising/playing with her two-year-old brother.
Mah’haya attends Kate Burgess Elementary and is in the 1st grade. She is proud of her straight A’s report card. She enjoys her reading class most and says, “School is important because you get to learn new things.”
As a Boys & Girls Club kid, Mah’haya McKinnon participates in a variety of activities and programs. Some activities include Fine Arts, Power Hour Homework Help, Arts and Crafts, Computer Tech, Triple Play Challenges, Healthy Habits, and Reading Programs.
Mah’haya is a 2-year member of New Jerusalem Baptist where she attends with her mom; she also attends Sunday school!
Director Jerry Taylor said, “Mah’haya was chosen for her great leadership, great smile, and her willingness to accept new challenges.”
Kristina Beverly Brown is the 11-year-old daughter of Michael Brown and Kendra White. She attends the Southeast Branch of the Boys & Girls Club where Mrs. Charlene Vomastek is Director.
Kristina has two sisters as well three brothers. She does a great job of helping with the house chores, cooking meals, and cleaning up afterward. Adriana also helps with the family pet, supervises her siblings, and takes out the trash. She attends the Cowboy Church and is active in its youth group.
Kristina 5th grade student at Southern Hills Elementary where she is maintaining a 3.5 GPA Kristina is very active. She enjoys her Science class and is a member of the class officers. She says school is important because, “We need to get an education to be successful in life”. Kristina sings in the Choir and is on the Safety Patrol. She volunteers to help teachers prepare for the buses by letting them know when organizations arrive to pick up students.
Kristina has been a Boys & Girls Club member for the past four years and has been very active in a variety of departments and programs. She has participated in the Photography and Fine Arts Programs where she has won several awards for art work entered in the annual Boys & Girls Club Fine Arts Exhibit hosted at the museum at MSU. She participates in after school Power Hour, Club Tech, Reading Programs, Peer Leaders, and is a junior staff. Swimming, summer camp, and Triple Play Challenges in the gym are other fun things he does as a member of the Club. Kristina has also raised money by participating in the Jump Rope for Heart fund raising program.
Director Charlene Vomastek said, “Kristina is an energetic youth member who is always participating in club activities and special events. She is the first to volunteer to assist our staff in any situation.”
Williams Nzehbiko is the 16-year-old son of Mable Enebnaweneh and attends the Rosewood Branch of the Boys & Girls Club where Mrs. Contina McNeely is Director.
Williams is the oldest in the family with two sisters and 2 brothers. He helps his mother with the house cleaning and keeps his room cleaned as well. He also washes dishes, keeps up with his younger brothers and sisters, takes the trash out, and even fixes things when they break.
Williams is a four-year member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church attending with his mom and siblings. His spiritual beliefs are evident in his every day personal interactions.
Williams is a 10th-grade student at Hirschi High School. His favorite subject is Science and he enjoys participating in the band where he plays the trumpet. He believes school is important because “it gives people a chance to succeed”. Williams loves reading so much he walks to the Kemp Library from Rosewood to read or check out books to take home. He loves to help younger members with their school work!
This young man has been involved in the Boys & Girls Club for the past 4 years. Williams is in the Junior Staff / Peer Leaders, Club Tech, Triple Play Challenges in the gym, and Healthy Habits. He can also be found helping with the Power Hour Homework help Program.
Club Director Contina McNeely said, “Williams has a very bright future where the sky is the limit!”