ALTON - A local high schooler has been named the Boys and Girls Club State of Illinois Youth of the Year.
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Isaiah Stueckel was recognized during the Alton Community Unit School District #11 Board of Education meeting on May 20, 2025, for his accomplishments. Al Womack, a Board of Education member and director of the Alton Boys and Girls Club, introduced Stueckel as “an outstanding young man.”
“I’ve been at the Boys and Girls Club for over a decade now, 12 years, and it’s really just changed my life,” Stueckel said.
Womack explained that Stueckel came to the Boys and Girls Club as a “hesitant, shy, quiet” 6-year-old. At 18, Stueckel now has “a vision for his future” and has made waves as an impressive student at Alton High School and beyond.
Stueckel shared that he used to be impatient and angry as a child, and the Boys and Girls Club helped him “dull that down” and ignite new interests. He pointed to the chess club, which taught him strategy and competition, as an example. He has also been involved in sewing club and Passport to Manhood.
Passport to Manhood is a program through the Boys and Girls Club that teaches skills like shaking hands, looking people in the eyes, and public speaking. Stueckel noted that the program taught him a lot and built his confidence.
He thanked the Alton Boys and Girls Club for their support over the years, with a special thank you to Womack for the nomination for the Youth of the Year Award.
“With the guidance from the staff, they gave me so much support, so many opportunities, so much wisdom,” Stueckel said. “Without being able to connect with the director, Mr. Womack, I wouldn’t be standing in front of you all tonight.”
Stueckel recently completed his CNA course and will have his CNA license after he takes the state test. He shared that he is inspired by his mother, a phlebotomist, to go into healthcare, with plans to study sports medicine or physical therapy.
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