Special to the Record
Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston (BGCB) has named Armando Arce Lobato the organization’s 2024 Youth of the Year. The annual honor recognizes a Club member who exemplifies distinct leadership abilities, academic achievement, and dedication to their community. Embodying the values of leadership and service, Lobato has emerged as a peer leader at BGCB’s Gerald and Darlene Jordan Club in Chelsea within his roles as:
• President of the Torch Club, a BGCB group which instills tolerance, civic responsibility, leadership, and community involvement for members ages 11 to 13 by hosting fundraisers and planning community and Club service projects
• President of Keystone Club, which provides leadership opportunities for young people ages 14 to 18
• BGCB Teen Associate and peer mentor
Lobato’s dedication to community service, fundraising initiatives, and personal growth has been exemplary to the Chelsea community. Amidst challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Lobato’s leadership was pivotal. When the Jordan Club’s Keystone Club temporarily ceased operations, Lobato took the initiative to lead its revival, showcasing his resilience and commitment to supporting his peers and community during the difficult time.
Lobato immigrated to the United States with his family from Mexico when he was nine years old and soon thereafter walked through the welcoming doors of the Jordan Club. There, he discovered a nurturing environment that helped him find his passion for engineering, particularly automotive engineering. Through the Club’s comprehensive programs and dedicated mentors, Lobato was empowered to excel academically, garnering prestigious awards such as the Craftsmanship Award and a medal in the Massachusetts Power Equipment Competition at Northeast Metro Technical High School.
“Armando is a tremendous youth member of Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston and an outstanding citizen in his community,” said Robert Lewis Jr., Nicholas President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston. “He is a wonderful example of the leadership and attributes we aim to develop within every single Club member. His journey exemplifies the power of discovering a passion and leveraging it to shape one’s future.”
With the guidance of the Jordan Club and his vocational education, Lobato plans to transform his automotive engineering skills into a thriving career in motorsport, with a dream of working in Formula 1. After high school, he intends to pursue a bachelor’s degree in engineering at a four-year university.
For more information about Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston and its impactful youth development programs focused on workforce readiness, academic success, and health and wellness, please visit www.bgcb.org.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston is the leading and most impactful youth organization in Greater Boston, catalyzing far-reaching opportunity for more equitable futures for 6-18 years olds in 22 communities across eight Clubs and YouthConnect throughout Boston and Chelsea. Since 1893, BGCB has focused on making the region thrive and has played an essential role for young people eager to explore their passions, find their purpose, and prepare for a life of success and impact. In partnership with the public sector, private enterprise, related non-profits, donors and volunteers, BGCB is aligned behind investing in the region’s urban talent pipeline and making a generational impact that expands beyond the walls of its buildings and deep into communities it serves. Helping urban youth to navigate a fast-paced global climate steeped in change, the organization is recognized for fueling the future of the city and the Commonwealth through its innovative “readiness” programs centered on three outcome areas: Academic Success, Health and Wellness, and Workforce Readiness. It is an affiliate of the Atlanta-based Boys & Girls Clubs of America, which supports over 5,000 Clubs nationwide serving over 3.6 million young people.