Emphasis on impact, creativity and innovation
The Boys and Girls Club of the Southern Ute Tribe received a “Hero for Youth” award from Boys & Girls Clubs of America for their advocacy on behalf of Ignacio’s youth.
“Receiving the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 2025 “Hero for Youth” award acknowledges our club’s effort to connect with elected officials; tribal, local, and state government,” BGC Chief Executive Officer, Bruce LeClaire said.
By elevating the voices of our young people, we ensure that our elected leaders understand the critical importance of supporting our youth and the Boys & Girls Clubs who serve them. In 2025, Boys & Girls Clubs of America collectively secured over $400 million in public funding for Clubs and kids thanks to regional advocacy.
“We appreciate all of the support from the Southern Ute Tribal Council; they donate, volunteer, and have attended numerous Boys & Girls Club events,” LeClaire said. “We also had Colorado State Representative, Katie Stewart; Ignacio Mayor, Clark Craig and Ignacio School District Superintendent, Chris deKay visit and tour our club during the summer.”
Clubs like ours have a unique role as community leaders in providing valuable afterschool programs to our country’s youth that enable them to achieve great futures. We are wholly committed to raising the visibility of the needs of the youth in our community, especially the ones who need us most, and show what we can accomplish with the support of our elected officials and our community.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Club Advocacy Engagement Recognition Program recognizes the advocacy work that Boys & Girls Clubs do every day, with an emphasis on impact, creativity and innovation. The program consists of three tiers for Clubs: Advocate (first 50% of Clubs), Hero (next 40% of Clubs) and Champion (top 10% of Clubs). Clubs get points for impactful engagements, and those points determine which tier a Club is placed.
Boys & Girls Clubs champion opportunities for all youth, equipping young people with the experiences and tools they need to succeed. Our advocacy isn’t just a one-day event. We are raising our voices every single day, to ensure top issues and solutions impacting young people are prioritized in our community, our state and at the national level.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For over 160 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA.org) has provided a safe place for kids and teens to learn and grow. Clubs offer caring adult mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Boys & Girls Club programming promotes academic success, good character and leadership, and healthy lifestyles. More than 5,500 Clubs serve over 4.2 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. National headquarters are located in Atlanta, Ga.