Perjah Roberts is an 18-year-old senior and proud member of the Douglas County Boys & Girls Club. She started attending the Club at just 9 years old. Perjah’s uncle recommended her to join and she is thrilled that her journey has led to the honor of 2016 Youth of the Year for the Douglas County Boys & Girls Club.
One of her favorite things about the Club is the activities that she has gotten involved in over the years. She’s very active in the Keystone Club, a teen service and leadership program, that’s helped her make friends and discover her passion for community projects. Some of her favorite service projects have been making mother’s day gifts to take to local domestic violence shelters and stuffing
holiday hygiene bags to give to the homeless. She also really enjoys playing on the volleyball team. Perjah says she has greatly benefited from the College Bound program at her Club. She credits College Bound for helping her land a full ride scholarship to Wingate University in North Carolina.
Perjah also gives a lot of credit to the staff for investing in her. She says they have helped her blossom from being an extremely shy young girl with low self-esteem to a confident public speaker. She remembers multiple staff members who were willing to stay late and listen to her when she needed someone to talk to, and that means the world to Perjah.
She wants to become the 2016 Youth of the Year for metro Atlanta because “coming from nothing, the Club showed me opportunities and gave me a platform.” She goes on to say she wants the opportunity to be a role model for other kids who are going through similar struggles.
Perjah plans to study psychology at Wingate. After graduation, she hopes to join the FBI to work in the field of behavioral analysis, and later teach children with special needs.
Learn more about the programs that helped Perjah blossom from her shy exterior.