Gwinnett Daily Post

Special photo Harnepher Mentoe, a member of the A. Worley Brown Boys and Girls Club in Norcross, was recently honored as one of Gwinnett's "Youths of the Year." He will be honored Nov. 15 by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, along with 17 other candidates for the group's overall youth of the year.

Two local teens have earned one of the Boys and Girls Club's highest honors, and remain in the running for an even more prestigious one.

Aria Cauthen (Lawrenceville Boys and Girls Club) and Harnepher Mentoe (A. Worley Brown Boys and Girls Club in Norcross) were each named Gwinnett's "Youths of the Year" by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta. They will be honored Nov. 15 alongside 17 other candidates for the metro region's youth of the year.

"We teach our youth that hope and opportunity exists for each of them," Missy Dugan, president and CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, said in a statement. "If they are willing to invest and learn, we are here to help them discover their potential ... They teach all of us that by working hard and believing in yourself, you truly can achieve your dreams."

Cauthen, a junior at Berkmar High School, has been a member at the Lawrenceville club for nine years. She has been involved with several of the club's programs throughout the years, and is currently the treasurer of the Keystone Club.

She once organized an auxiliary drive for the Atlanta Veterans Medical Administration. She hopes to attend Georgia Southern University and pursue a career in music.

Mentoe, a junior at Norcross High School, has been a member at the Norcross Boys and Girls Club for eight years. He too has been involved with BCGA programs like "college bound," "passport to manhood" and the Keystone Club. He hopes to attend Georgia State University and is interested in athletic apparel design.

Mentoe said helping his community puts "joy in my heart."

The 2012 Youth of the Year dinner and awards ceremony will be held Nov. 15 at the Georgia Aquarium. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit atlyouthoftheyear.org.