Brielle Little, 15, is a force to be reckoned with in the Suffolk unit of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Virginia.

The teen volunteers after school at the John F. Kennedy Middle School-based club. She helps serve food, chats with the younger kids, gives out high-fives and hugs and encourages the younger members of the club to engage in activities and get involved.

Brielle has been a member of the unit for about six or seven years, and in that time she has grown tremendously. She has led by example and contributed to the success of the club over the years, according to Suffolk Unit Director Keith Robinson.

By her own description, she has gone from being a shy girl to a leader who is having a positive impact on the younger members of the club.

Brielle is also a member of the King’s Fork High School JROTC program. She plans to go to college and then join the U.S. Air Force, inspired by her parents, both of whom were also in the military, and her brother, who is in the U.S. Navy.

Those are all good reasons why Brielle has been named the Youth of the Year for the Suffolk Unit, and she and others from across the region will be honored at a dinner in Norfolk in March.

Brielle is the latest example of why we have come to expect great things from the Suffolk Unit of the Boys and Girls Clubs and its graduates. Under the umbrella of the Boys and Girls Club, they not only have a structured environment after school and during the summers but also get homework help, activities, a meal and resources to help them succeed. Members are getting great mentorship not only from staff but also from older members.

We know we can continue to look forward to more great things from Brielle and other members and graduates of the Suffolk Unit of the Boys and Girls Club.