Schools

Whiz Kid: Boys & Girls Club MVP Brittany Quach

The SMBGC Youth of the Year will compete on Mar. 15 in a related LA County competition.

Over the course of the past year, the has made no secret of its appreciation for Brittany Quach.

Earlier this month, the organization endowed the 17-year-old with its 2010 Youth of the Year award.

"I am so honored to have received this because it is something that comes around once in a lifetime," Quach told Santa Monica Patch, adding that she competed against five other candidates. "It has been something that I’ve admired and wanted for a long time ... this means so much to me and my family as well. I’ve worked so hard to become the best leader I could possibly be, and I’ve done countless amounts of volunteer work."

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The SMBGC said she received the award due to her "ambition to succeed, leadership in service and drive to be great." Quach's academic achievements, devotion to higher education, service to the community and contributions to her family were also noted.

The SMBGC formally presented the award to the  junior at the Olympic Collection for the 43rd Annual Awards Banquet, which was attended by Olympic gold-medal figure skater Tara Lipinski; Fox Sports Radio host Deb Carson; and U.S. Foreign Service Officer Syga Thomas, an SMBGC alum.

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Winning the award entails Quach to compete for even greater, nationwide SMBGC honors, as well as a host of scholarships. She's been named as one of the top six YoY in Los Angeles County, and it was announced this week that she will compete in the related LA County competition on Mar. 15.

But YoY is hardly the only honor Quach has received from the SMBGC. The organization has also recognized her as the Youth of the Month, in November for athletics and in April as the top Leader in Training. Quach earned a similar award at the SMBGC's Teen Center in June, and through its Keystone teen program in April and December. Moreover, Quach was named Youth of the Year for Keystone.

“Brittany is a great example of a young person who, through hard work and determination, has overcome obstacles in her quest to be great," SMBGC President/CEO Aaron Young said in a statement.

Quach was born in Santa Monica and raised in Chinatown. While in elementary school, she became involved in LA’s Best, an after-school program that emphasizes the importance of finishing homework before getting involved in activities like dance and art.

Quach and her family moved back to SM when she began middle school. When they did, "my parents wanted my brother and me to be in a similar program to keep us occupied after school," she said. Quach got involved with the SMBGC and many of its programs: Leaders in Training, Youth for Unity, Junior Staff and Keystone, which she joined in the eighth grade. She also helped with a dance contest that raised funds for club members to help build a school in Kenya.

For its own part, the SMBGC has also helped Quach, who has faced challenges while on the road to success.

"My parents never graduated high school," she said. "Getting help from them is extremely hard, especially since English is their second language. At the club, I get one-on-one tutoring from volunteers and college students on the classes that are more difficult for me."

The club has also facilitated Quach to receive free SAT prep classes and go on college tours. She's currently taking multiple AP classes at Samohi.

"I am so thankful that the Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica allowed me to experience so much leadership and volunteer work, because they have made me realize how passionate I am in giving back and being a better person," Quach said.

She also credits the organization's staff for encouraging her to continue staying involved. "The [staff] has compelled me to continue to be involved over the years," she said. "Their passion to make futures great has definitely made mine great. They have showed me so many pathways to being a great leader."

Want to recommend a young person who has made extraordinary accomplishments in the Santa Monica community, for feature in "Whiz Kid"? Drop a line to Kurt.Orzeck@patch.com.


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