Teen wins second straight state youth award

Elijah Sellers is no stranger to receiving recognition for the work he does in his community.

For the second year in a row, Sellers has been named Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Carolina.

Each year, the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Carolina selects one exceptional club member from local chapters for the award. Winners are selected based on their leadership and communication skills as well as their achievements in a variety of activities, including entertainment, politics and sports.

Last year, Sellers became the first member in the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tar River Region’s more than half-century history to earn the North Carolina Youth of the Year honor. Sellers will compete in the regional competition in the fall and hopefully move on to the national competition.

The National Youth of the Year serves as both an exemplary ambassador for Boys & Girls Clubs youth and as a strong voice for the country’s young people. The National Youth of the Year is the highest honor a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs can receive.

Sellers hails from Princeville and is one of two sons in a single-parent family. While financially challenged at times, Sellers and his brother had a strong family unit and a mother who saw potential in her children.

His mother, Sheila Cook, signed Sellers up for the Boys & Girls Clubs because she said she knew he was smart and just needed the right environment and encouragement to help him become successful. (Read more)