Congratulations to Eastside Catholic freshman Sophia Fernandez, who has been named the 2025 Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Club of Bellevue—a prestigious recognition that celebrates her leadership, dedication, and commitment to community service.

The Youth of the Year program, hosted by Boys & Girls Clubs of America, is a nationwide leadership development initiative designed to cultivate the next generation of changemakers. Teens across the country compete at the local, state, and regional levels, with one ultimately selected as the national teen spokesperson. The program focuses on building key leadership skills including communication, goal-setting, and teamwork.

Sophia stood out among her peers due to her extraordinary journey with the Club and a long list of impressive accomplishments:

• Leadership: She serves as president of the Keystone Club, is a member of the TLC leadership team, and participates in the Be Great: Graduate!, Leaders in Training, and Career Pathways programs.
   
• Service: Sophia volunteers at a K–5 Boys & Girls Club site, where she leads activities such as arts and crafts, cooking lessons, and reading time for younger members.
   
• Advocacy: She played a key role in the Club’s “Move for Love” campaign—raising awareness about domestic violence and helping secure $20,000 during the Club’s annual gala.
   
• Civic Engagement: Sophia represented the Club at the National Days of Advocacy in Washington, D.C. in 2022 and 2024, meeting with lawmakers to discuss youth-related issues. On March 10–11, she also participated in the state-level Advocacy Days in Olympia, engaging in civic education and legislative discussions with elected officials.
   
• Community Impact: Sophia has completed over 100 hours of volunteer service in the past year alone.

As a result of her dedication, Sophia was not only named Bellevue’s Youth of the Year but also selected as one of 15 finalists for the Washington State Youth of the Year competition. There, she had the opportunity to share her inspiring story with peers from across the state. The event was held on March 27 at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center in Seattle.