Gezelle Oakgrove wins Rochester's "Youth of the Year" Scholarship through the Boys and Girls Club

Red Lake's very own Gezelle Oakgrove won Rochester's "Youth of the Year" scholarship through the Boys and Girls Club. She will now advance to the state level competition that takes place April 14th. She will be competing against four other youth from different areas of Minnesota, where she will be delivering a speech and interviewed.

To win the scholarship competition Gezelle had to prepare three essays, one speech, a resume with cover letter, gather recommendations from community members during prepare for formal photo session. She was nominated very late in the preparation period which only gave her 13 days to complete the obligations. The most time consuming was to write about three different topics featuring her involvement in the Boys and Girls Club and the community, the struggles she has faced, and how she overcame her obstacles and what she learned from them.

This is a prime example of her perseverance and determination in the face of overwhelming odds and commitment. Dealing with the "Youth of the Year" competition, balancing study time to remain caught up in school, maintaining outlook with the everyday stresses of her life while dealing with the situation that the pandemic has created has been a challenge. The amount of stress she has been under shows just how amazing her resolve is, her ability to adapt to any situation, and her willingness to greet each challenge with a positive attitude and humor to match is something to admire.

https://kttc.com/2021/03/09/people-who-care-boys-girls-club-of-rochester/