The Boys & Girls Clubs of Wichita Falls is proud to announce March Youths of the Month. Dominic Mims, of the Rosewood Branch, is the Kiwanis Club of Wichita Falls Youth of the Month. Anajalyce Napper, of the Central Branch, is the Optimist Club of Wichita Falls Youth of the Month. Areanna Walsh, of the Southwest 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 Steve Priester, representing the Rotary Club of Wichita Falls, and Rex Parsons, representing the Optimist Club of Wichita Falls, considered the following categories 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:
- Dominic Mims, Rosewood Branch
- Donyae Bryant, Northeast Branch
- Evyn Terrell, Northwest Branch
- Jaiden Jordan, Southwest Branch
- Adriyanna Gomez, Southeast Branch
- Violet Vaughn, Central Branch
Nominees for the Optimist Division included:
- Annetrell Mims, Rosewood Branch
- Christopher Williams, Northeast Branch
- Aiden Bagley, Northwest Branch
- Harley Henderson, Southwest Branch
- Leonna Rowe, Southeast Branch
- Anajalyce Napper Central Branch
Nominees for the Rotary Division included:
- Brandon Evans, Rosewood Branch
- Terrance Williams, Northeast Branch
- Taylor Brantley, Northwest Branch
- Areanna Walsh Southwest Branch
Generous sponsors include: Taco Casa and Times/Record News
Dominic Mims is the 8-year-old son of Johnny & Gloria Mims. He attends the Rosewood Branch Club where Mr. Rick Taylor is Director.
Dominic has two sisters and four brothers. He attends Booker T. Washington Elementary where he is in the 3rd grade making A’s and B’s. His favorite subject is Reading. Dominic says school is important because “it makes me smart”.
Moral character is obvious in everything Dominic is involved. He attends the Bethlehem Church where he is in the choir, attends Sunday school, and is active in youth group activities.
Dominic is very happy and active when at the Boys & Girls Club. He attends on a regular basis and is always a welcome sight for staff. He gets along with everyone and participates in all areas of the Club. He enjoys the Fine Arts and Photography programs. Dominic is also active in the Club Tech program working on the computers. He can be found taking part in Power Hour, Smart Moves, Kids in Control, and Reading programs. He is also a participant in Triple Play Healthy Habits and Challenges in the gym.
Club Director Rick Taylor said, “Dominic is pure energy; always ready to have fun with any club peers that can keep up!”
Anajalyce Napper is the 9-year-old daughter of Taurus Napper. She has a 1-year-old sister. Anajalyce helps her dad and grandma with housekeeping and akeeps her room clean.
Anajalyce’ s home Club is the Central Branch where Mr. Charles Lonon is Assistant Director. She has attended the Boys & Girls Club for 5 years. During her time at the Club she has been very involved in a variety of programs. She is an active participant in the Torch Club and TEXSYN-SMART Moves leadership programs. She is also actively participating in the Texas AIMS/Sylvan and S.T.E.M learning programs in the Tech Lab.
Anajalyce has attended Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church with her family for the past two years and is involved with the church’s youth group. She is also active in the local soccer and campfire programs.
Assistant Director Mr. Lonon said, “Anjalyce Napper is a very smart and helpful youth. She is a very polite and mature young lady who is willing to learn new things and share them with her friends. She can usually be found helping younger members in the computer lab.”
Areanna Walsh is the youngest of three children to single parent Dorothy Walsh. Areanna is 14 years old and a big help to her mother. Not only does she help with meal preparation and cleaning up afterward, she also takes out the trash and helps care for the family pet.
Areanna attends the Southwest Branch of the Boys & Girls Club where Ms. Tori Smith is Director. Ms. Smith says Areanna has been coming to the Club for eight years and “has stepped up her leadership role as a teen member”. She is involved in all areas of the Club. A few of her favorite activities include Computer Tech, Fine Arts and Crafts, and Triple Play Healthy Habits & Challenges in the gym. Areanna is a Jr. Staffer and a member of the Keystone Club. She participates in Kids in Control and Reading Programs in the Learning Center.
Areanna has been a member of First Baptist Church for the past six years and is active in the church’s youth group activities. She has been an enthusiastic participant in Teens Make a Difference Day.
Areanna is in the 9th grade and maintains a 3.5 + GPA at Rider High School. She enjoys her Science class and is interested in the field of medicine. She intends to eventually to become a surgeon.
Southwest Boys & Girls Club Director Tori Smith said, “Areanna is a mature young- leader who is always ready to help out in any way she can.”