Jim Grant/Nevada Appeal
In the two years since Ricardo Terriquez joined the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada, his life has taken a dramatic turn.
"If I wouldn't have come here, I would be hanging out with gangbangers right now and not listening to my mom," the 17-year-old said. "I wouldn't want to go down that path."
Growing up on Tiger Drive, he didn't think he had many other choices. But then he met Albert Jacquez through the club's outreach program.
"Albert's my main role model," Terriquez said.
At first, he was attracted by the sports the club offered, especially basketball, but then started to see the other benefits.
"They're all nice people," he said. "I got close to them. I see them as a family now."
So when it came time this year for the staff to choose a youth of the year from among the junior staff, Teen Director Kallie Day said it was an easy decision.
"He has excelled in several areas," Day said. "He just stood out."
Terriquez will compete against other Boys & Girls Club members for the State of Nevada Youth of the Year title and a $1,000 college scholarship from Tupperware Brands Corporation on March 15.
Being named youth of the year is the highest honor a Boys & Girls Club member can receive. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to a member's family, school, community and Boys & Girls Club, as well as overcoming personal challenges and obstacles.
If Terriquez wins at the state competition, he will compete for the title of Pacific Region Youth of the Year and an additional $10,000 scholarship. Five regional winners will advance to Washington, D.C., in September to compete for National Youth of the Year, who will receive an additional scholarship of up to $50,000 and will have the opportunity to meet with the president of the United States.
Before joining the club, Terriquez said, he "wasn't the nicest person."
He had a natural distrust of authority and saw gangs as a normal way of life.
But he saw first hand where that life led. His cousin became involved in gangs, and his parents sent him to Mexico after he was shot at.
"His parents are heart broken," Terriquez said. "I wouldn't want my parents to be like that, suffering from my mistakes."
Since taking a job as a junior staff at the club, he has a found a clear purpose.
Despite his mother's protests, he gives half his paycheck to her to help with the family's expenses.
"For the first 15 years of my life, she raise me all by herself," he explained. "I believe that for her raising me to this point, I should try to give something back. At this age, I can't give her a million dollars, but I want to be able to help her out with what I can."
Working with children, he said, comes pretty easy as the oldest of five.
"It reminds me of when I was a little kid," he said. "It brings back memories."
And the kids appreciate him as well.
"He's helped me with my homework, and he's always been there for me," said Colt Hagler, 12. "I like him. He's helped the club out so much."
After graduation from Carson High School, where he is a junior, Terriquez plans to pursue a career as a general contractor and may join the Marine Corps.
While he credits much of his success to Jacquez, the club's athletic director and outreach coordinator, Jacquez returns the tribute.
"When I first met him, I knew he had potential right away," Jacquez said. "No one ever really gave him a chance. All I did was give him a little bit of opportunity. He took off with it."