Richmond Community High School senior A’landa Macklin has been selected as the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Richmond Youth of the Year. As a result, she will receive a $10,000 scholarship and is eligible to compete at the state level.

Ms. Macklin was one of three finalists competing for the award.

The yearlong Youth of the Year leadership program offered through Boys & Girls Clubs across the country provide personal and professional development to youths in preparation for college and career development.

Participants are required to write essays, create a résumé and cover letter, memorize and recite a speech and submit letters of recommendation. They also are interviewed by a panel to be considered for the award.

Although she has not decided which university she will attend, Ms. Macklin said she will major in social work. She credits the Boys & Girls Club with helping prepare her for a future academic career.

“Growing up, I lived in the apartment building right beside the Boys & Girls Club building, and I just loved going there,” she said. “My mom signed me up at age 6, and I’ve always gone back.”

As a member of Keystone Club, one of the organization’s programs encouraging community service, Ms. Macklin has attended conferences in Orlando, Fla. and Anaheim Calif., with both trips including surprise trips to Disneyworld and Disneyland, respectively. Another trip that had a profound impact on her, she says, was visiting the White House in Washington, D.C.

“I got to meet Ashley Biden, President Joe Biden’s daughter, who is also a social worker,” she said.

Outside of Keystone Club, Ms. Macklin maintains a 3.4 grade point average at Richmond Community where she is president of the Key Club. She also is the senior class coordination director, serving as a liaison between the school’s principal and teachers and the senior class to suggest events they want to produce.