Shore’s Carrington wins B&G Youth of the Year

Pictured: Destiny Carrington, center, representing the Boys & Girls Club of the Eastern Shore, won the Youth of the Year for Southeast Virginia Thursday, March 31 at The Westin Virginia Beach Center. She was awarded funds for college and will now compete for additional scholarships in state competition. Kathy Custis, left, won a new award for her dedication and commitment to the Eastern Shore Boys & Girls Club, Also pictured is Bill Payne, longtime chairman of the Eastern Shore board and a member of Board of Directors for Southeastern Virginia. Bill Sterling photo.

By Bill Sterling

Destiny Carrington, representing the Eastern Shore Boys & Girls Club, has won Youth of the Year for Southeastern Virginia and will now advance to state competition to vie for additional scholarships.

Carrington, a 17-year-old senior at Northampton High School and a member of the local Boys & Girls Club for the past seven years, plans to major in biology with the intent to enter a nursing program and become either a nurse practitioner or physician assistant.

Last Thursday night Carrington, speaking to a room of 350 attendees at the Westin Virginia Beach Town Center, commanded the room with her speech that outlined the growth she has seen as a member of the Boys & Girls Club, drawing loud and long applause. Carrington said, “Life is like a book, and I am the author. I expect to reach every goal that I set for myself.”

Kurt Williams, the WTKR News 3 anchor who emceed the event, said if Carrington should chose not to pursue a career in medicine, she should consider broadcast journalism because of the impressive manner in which she addressed the large crowd.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia serves over 2400 members at eight clubs. The annual Youth of the Year competition is judged by a committee that bases its decision on communication skills, teen leadership, community involvement and other qualities. 

Carrington now serves as a volunteer and mentors youth at the Eastern Shore Club. 

Carrington lives in Birdsnest and is the daughter of Natasha Carrington and Terronke Garris. Her grandmother, Betty Borden, was in attendance as Destiny accepted the award, dressed in a resplendent orange gown.

Also honored this night was Kathy Custis, longtime executive director of the Eastern Shore Boys & Girls Club. 

Custis Also Honored

Custis won the inaugural Debbie McGaughey Impact Award Winner. McGaughey was the Executive Director of the Rosemont Club  and recently succumbed to a prolonged illness. McGaughey exemplified dedication to the B&GC mission and her wards.  

Custis was cited for her dedication and the love she showed the members of the Boys & Girls Club while providing after-school and summer programs that provide local youth a safe and fun place to gather and also teach academic skills, healthy lifestyles and the ability to make positive decisions. 

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