While many teens are involved in sports or school extracurricular activities, some spend their time volunteering.

Every year, the Boys and Girls Club honors high school students who volunteer with their Youth of the Year competition. The winner is announced tonight at 7 o’clock at Liberty Hall.

Senior Verneisha Jackson and junior Jazmyne McNair were nominated for Youth of the Year, as well as a senior from Free State, Marcya’ Floyd. The winner will advance to a state competition. If they win that, they can receive a $5,000 scholarship and advance to regionals.

Twelve students were nominated by either high school teachers or workers in the Boys and Girls Club who believe the nominees have a positive influence on people. The three final candidates have been preparing for tonight since October by volunteering, writing essays and practicing speech writing and public speaking.

“We did a Habitat for Humanity build,” McNair said. “We go visit the elementary schools and we give our speeches in front of them… We also did bell ringing for the Salvation Army back in December.”

At the event, each candidate will give their speech in front of a panel of judges, which is the last step in deciding the winner. The speech consists of the candidate’s personal story and their experience with the Boys and Girls Club.

“For my speech I’m going to be talking about how the Boys and Girls Club helped me, my experience at the Boys and Girls Club, and how it changed me,” Jackson said.

The competition tonight is free and open to the public to attend.