Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metro celebrates the Class of 2019

Youth leaders recognized for academic accomplishments at Senior Celebration, including a surprise $5,000 scholarship presentation for one grad 

For Immediate Release, May 17, 2019  

PORTLAND, OR – Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metro (BGCP) proudly welcomed community members from across the Portland Metro Region on Thursday, May 16th, to recognize a group of exceptional graduating teens during our annual Senior Celebration. 

These remarkable youth will be pursuing a wide range of career interests, including social justice, nursing, psychology, and video game design. Loy Msafiri, a graduate who will be heading to Warner Pacific University to study pre-med with a full-tuition scholarship, expressed her desire to help provide medical care in refugee camps. During their time at the Clubs, many of the graduating seniors have organized events, volunteered in their communities, and been awarded scholarships for their academic excellence and leadership skills. 

Another teen, Leslie Bojorquez-Quintero, was surprised at the Senior Celebration with a $5,000 Judgement Free Generation Scholarship from Planet Fitness for her commitment to kindness and inclusion, and for going above and beyond to make others feel accepted.  Leslie has helped run the Unidos en Poder club at La Salle Prep, which provides space for Hispanic and Latino students to feel safe, heard, and accepted for who they are. The award was presented by local franchise owners Kalpana & Ocatavio Lubrano. Leslie is a long-time member at the Wattles Club in SE Portland and has interned with our YouthForce program in partnership with the Portland Timbers & Thorns. She will be heading to PSU in the fall and has plans to become a film director. 

This diverse group of teens has come together to work, travel and learn in our Clubs and KeyBank YouthForce Program. Graduates come from across the metro area and represent eight area high schools, including; Hillsboro H.S., La Salle College Prep, Liberty H.S., Reynolds H.S., Lincoln H.S., David Douglas H.S., Milwaukie H.S., and Benson Polytechnic. Class of 2019 will be attending Portland Community College, Mt. Hood Community College, Warner Pacific University, Portland State University, and trade school. BGCP has been privileged to provide these passionate, dedicated, and driven teens with the academic support, workforce training, and other opportunities for learning and growth and are excited to see all the amazing things they are sure to accomplish next. 

Special thanks to our Associate Board and Daimler Trucks North America for making this event possible for our graduates and families, and helping the Clubs cheer on the Class of 2019!

About the Senior Celebration 

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metropolitan Area’s Senior Celebration is an annual event recognizing the accomplishments of our graduating Club members and KeyBank YouthForce interns. Each graduate is awarded an alumni pin and inducted into the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s alumni network, which provides career opportunities for new graduates along with ways to get involved and give back to Clubs and their community. Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metro Associate Board members contribute to organizing and compiling gift bags for the event, as well as the Alumni pinning ceremony. This event has been generously hosted for the past three years at the beautiful Daimler Trucks North America Headquarters in North Portland.