Pictured: Nathan W., a junior at Pine View School for the Gifted. Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.

Our community is filled with many incredible young people doing such amazing things. This summer, we are featuring some of these young people in our Thursday Family & Education edition. Each of the students we are highlighting has been chosen as one of this year’s SRQ Magazine’s top youth leaders based on their values, determination and outstanding achievements in different aspects of their lives in and out of school.

Nathan is currently a junior at Pine View School for the Gifted. He first joined Boys & Girls Club to pursue his passion for cooking; he would go on to receive funding to launch his own catering business through his participation in Boys & Girls Club’s Perlman Price Young Entrepreneurs Program. In 2021, Nathan joined Boys & Girls Club’s Youth Council and in 2022 he joined BGCSDC as we traveled to Tallahassee for the Florida House of Representatives Messenger Program.

We asked Nathan what inspires him to be a leader.

"The Boys and Girls Clubs inspires me," he said. "I came there to become a leader and it taught me how to be one. I originally wanted to show up for the entrepreneurship program but I’ve stayed for advocacy and youth council and everything it has to offer. The club and the staff inspire me daily."

Pictured: Nathan W., a junior at Pine View School for the Gifted. Photo by Wyatt Kostygan.