The Polish Center, Yonkers, NY

May 31st, 2008

Free Teens USA held its 10th Annual Banquet at the Polish Center in Yonkers, NY on May 31, 2008, celebrating the 10th year of club activities for youth in the New York/New Jersey area. Former Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler, who spoke at the first banquet in 1999, returned to share inspiration with the 300 youth and parents who attended. John Boykin II, representing Mt. Vernon Mayor Clinton Young, Jr. also attended.

Other highlights included the Free Teens Choice Awards, presented by members of the Free Teens Board of Directors to club members who demonstrated high personal standards and outstanding service in their communities as well as performances from club members from Jersey City, Newark, and Mt. Vernon. Youth from Eastside High School involved with the Free Teens CultureShock music program also performed.

Dr. Richard Panzer, Free Teens founder and director, advised the female Free Teens youth to be proud of their inner beauty and to not let that be taken away by someone only interested in their physical appearance. He advised the male Free Teens youth to be proud of their inner strength and to use their strength to be protectors of their female friends and family members.

Finalists in this year’s Free Teens Pageant included: King Contestant: Nate Person; Queen Contestants: Takyla Spann from Yonkers and Mariah Jones from Harlem; Prince Contestants: Daniel Silvestre from Mt. Vernon and Donte Robinson from Paterson; Princess Contestants: Kendria Smith, Erisha Harrison, Lorraine Harris and Nia Fears from Mt. Vernon and Brittnee Marsh from Jersey City.

Dr. and Mrs. Panzer crowned Nate Person as Mr. Free Teens 2008. Nate showed a multimedia presentation about the Clair Memorial Free Teens club he’d created. Nate’s interest in video and multimedia production was sparked by a Free Teens Media Summit he attended two years ago.

Ms. Free Teens 2007 (Queen) Dominique Hart, who is currently attending the University of Virginia, crowned Takyla Spann, Ms. Free Teens 2008 Queen. Takyla gave a moving testimony about her personal journey towards recommitting her life to abstinence until marriage.

Ms. Free Teens 2007 (Princess) Fanny Sesay crowned Brittnee Marsh as Ms. Free Teens 2008. Brittnee spoke about seeing other girls in her neighborhood becoming single mothers and making a decision to avoid all that “baby momma drama.” Donte Robinson was crowned as Free Teens 2008 Prince and gave a powerful musical performance of “You are the wind beneath my wings!”

The evening concluded with CultureMachine director Diego Costa leading the room in singing the “Youth of the World” theme song and a Free Teens “Dance On.”

To watch Clips of the Banquet, click here

Photos by Karin Gaigg & Richard Panzer