Michael Alvarez ~ Named 2024 Youth of the Year for Boys & Girls Clubs of Mason Valley

Multiple supporters, volunteers honored at banquet

YERINGTON, Nev. – Michael Alvarez, a senior at Yerington High School, was named the 2024 Youth of the Year Saturday night at Boys & Girls Clubs of Mason Valley’s annual awards banquet.

Alvarez will now be the Club’s youth representative for the year, including moving on in the nationwide recognition competition to the state level. While the Youth of the Year is the evening’s penultimate award, the Club also recognized five members of the year from Yerington, Dayton, Silver Springs and Hawthorne, a Junior Youth of the Year in Michael’s little sister, Clarisa, and numerous supporters, donors and volunteers. The gym at Boys & Girls Clubs of Mason Valley’s Yerington clubhouse was packed with a sold-out 300 person attendance.

Matt Galvin, Sr., a longtime employee of Peri & Sons Farms and someone who is very familiar with the Club and its projects, received the Champion of Youth award. He’s been instrumental in numerous projects related to Night in the Country, the Club’s annual fundraiser. He also led the crew that supported Lyon County and the City of Yerington in their flood mitigation and prevention efforts during the spring and summer of 2023. Thanks to Galvin’s efforts, almost all of the valley was spared any significant flooding, and numerous bridges were kept clear for traffic.

Other award winners included Peavine Construction, whose grading and earthwork at The Grange, the site for Night in the Country, came at a significant discount. Jarry Walton and his family took home an award for their longtime support of the Club. Walton’s company, Sierra Electronics, has been providing radios for fundraising events for more than two decades at no cost.

Alvarez now moves onto the state competition, where he will meet and compete against Youths of the Year from Boys & Girls Clubs of Truckee Meadows, Elko, Western Nevada and Southern Nevada. Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada will host the event in mid-March. From there, the winner will move onto the regional, and then national, levels.

FULL AWARD WINNER LIST

-Michael Alvarez, Youth of the Year
-Clarisa A., Jr. Youth of the Year
-Matt Galvin, Sr., Champion of Youth
-Peavine Construction, Blue Door Award
-Sierra Electronics, Helping Hand Award
-Ryder U., Yerington Member of the Year
-Skyler G., Dayton Member of the Year
-Kaya G., Hawthorne Member of the Year
-Aydan A., Silver Springs Member of the Year
-Gianna V., E. L. Wiegand Early Learning Center Member of the Year
-Serena Smiley, Dayton Volunteer of the Year
-Steve Christopolous, Yerington Volunteer of the Year
-Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, Hawthorne Volunteers of the Year
-Leah Rogers, Silver Springs Volunteer of the Year
-Mason Lyman, Staff of the Year

MEDIA CONTACT
Nick Beaton