The room was silent for a moment while we all finished our lunches. It was the group’s third day in New York City and it was the day that everybody was going to present their speeches to the group. Circular tables filled the room and surrounded the podium that had been placed up front so everybody could see it.

“Let’s start sharing our speeches!” said the Military Youth of the Year representative. One by one we approached the podium, some nervous, some not. I was one of the nervous ones. Those of us who were sitting were watching and listening intently to the story of each youth that went up. The energy in the room was positive, safe and it solidified that we were in this process together. Suggestions were given to each youth by both their peers and mentors.  When I stepped to the podium and gave my speech, one of the mentors suggested, “When you’re on stage, try not to use you hands to talk or to tap the podium,” and another said, “Nobody knows what your speech is going to be, so if you forget something, it’s okay.” This feedback to lead everybody in the group to success and built a trust that brought us together as a group.

The next day was competition day and it was time to prepare for the event that was to unveil the new Northeast Youth of the Year.  I walked through the giant ballroom doors of the hotel and into a blue tinted room. The name “Boys & Girls Club” was projected on the walls as music played that reminded me of the Hunger Games. The ballroom was filled with chairs and people as media staff ran around the  room, making sure everything was ready for the event. As I stood behind the stage in New York City representing the Vermont state Youth of the Year, I felt a sense of nervousness and excitement. It had been four long days that lead up to this moment, and my new friends and I were ready to find out who was going to be named the new, Northeast Regional Youth of the Year.

Fifteen of us stood in a  cramped space behind the stage that kept getting smaller and smaller with every  breath taken. Nerves filled the room as sweat glistened on the faces of not only us youth, but our mentors as well. With nervous smiles on our faces, we waited with high anticipation and when my new friend from New Jersey, Alexia’s name was called to the stage,  joy filled the room. I didn’t win, but I couldn’t have felt happier for Alexia. One of the girls who had become my sister after only four days, had just won the name of the Northeast Regional Youth of the Year.

Three essays, three letters of recommendation, more drafts of a speech than I can count, and many trainings lead me and fifteen other youth, to those incredible moments in New York. When I arrived in New York City, I didn’t realize that fifteen strangers were going to soon become my brothers and sisters after only four days and that’s what made losing so easy. But after endless days of work, training, and exploration, nothing was more important than my new family. Through all of my experiences, including visiting ABC studios, British Airways, and flying to Georgia for a leadership training, those fifteen amazing youth were by my side. They went through the same process that I did, and supported me as I supported them.

The Youth of the Year process is very difficult and requires hard work, dedication, and drive, but through this process I have learned more about myself than I ever thought possible at the age of seventeen. I learned that my drive for success is never ending, but more importantly that to me, losing is never actually losing.