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Cobenais competes in Boys & Girls Club of America Competition

The Minnesota State Youth of the Year for the Boys & Girls Club of America Competition was held May 3rd, 2011 in St. Paul. One of the competitors was our very own 2010 Red Lake Nation Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year Darion Cobenais. Cobenais competed against 11 other clubs, being the 3rd youngest to compete. The majority were seniors. Cobenais started the competition with a 3 minute speech about himself and what the Boys & Girls Club has done for him.

With that, all competitors were judged on their speeches and their interviews. It was an all day process. After the judges made their selection, they announced the winner and presented medals and awards to all participants. Cobenais did not win the state level, but represented the Red Lake Nation Boys & Girls Club in a very good way.

After the competition was over, the MN Alliance took the competitors and chaperones to Mall of America to unwind. There, they received passes to Nickelodeon to go on rides, or they could go shopping.

The Legislative Breakfast was held Wednesday morning with Chairman Floyd “Buck” Jourdain giving the invocation and the welcoming address. The Youth of the Year Competitors each gave short versions of their speeches to the legislatives and the attendees.

Pictures taken were of Darion, grandfather Fabian “Nickel” Cook, and the Midwest Regional Service Director, Jodi Martin. Other pictures were of Darion at the podium rehearsing his speech before the competition began and also during the legislative breakfast and the actual competition. He is seen at Mall of America with the other competitors, and pictures of Darion, Nickel, Chairman Jourdain, Board of Director Bryan Lussier, and Michelle Graves, Interim Executive Director.

Darion has went from the shy club member to being one of our most outgoing teens. The staff of the Red Lake Nation Boys & Girls Club are so proud to have had him represent our club at the Minnesota State Level.

Great job Darion!

 
 

Reader Comments(1)

honor writes:

Hi I would like to say what a great job all the club members did and how hard all the kids worked. My son River Roybal is also a Red Lake member and he got youth of the year for the boys and girls club for Duluth, how wonderfull is that, that two very nice young men both from Red Lake could win such a reward. juroybal from duluth

 
 
 
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