Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Maytag® Proud to Announce Connecticut's 18-Year-Old Billy Narvaez the Winner of 2014 Dependable Leader Award

National Vote for Five Fantastic Finalists Determines Winner

News provided by

Oct 14, 2014, 07:53 ET

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Oct. 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- America had a tough voting choice with five fantastic candidates for the 2014 Maytag Dependable Leader Award, which recognizes Boys & Girls Club members who are committed to making a difference as dependable and exceptional role models. All five finalists showed tremendous heart and dedication to their communities as their stories were profiled on www.DependableLeaders.com. After four weeks of online voting, and nearly 10,000 votes cast, BGCA and Maytag are proud to announce that 18-year-old Billy Narvaez from Bridgeport, Conn., has won the 2014 Maytag Dependable Leader Award.

"It is an incredible honor to be the Maytag Dependable Leader Award winner! The other club members up for this award were just awesome leaders in their own clubs and just as deserving of this recognition as I am. The scholarship award will make a huge difference to my family and I am very grateful to Maytag and everyone in the Wakeman Boys & Girls Club family who voted for me!"

Narvaez will receive a $20,000 college scholarship and Wakeman Boys & Girls Club will receive $30,000 to provide educational scholarships to Club members.

Narvaez, the first in his family to attend college, is a freshman at the Rochester Institute of Technology where is he studying to be an aerospace engineer. As a member at Wakeman Boys & Girls Club's Smilow-Burroughs Clubhouse, Narvaez juggled his studies and caring for his two younger sisters while working as a Junior Staff member and program volunteer. During his time at the Club, Narvaez ran both the Saturday Film School and Future Engineers Club and funded these programs out of his own pocket, illustrating to younger Club members another way of giving back to the community.

Elected as President of the Keystone Club, a unique leadership development experience provided by the Boys and Girls Club, Narvaez helped to lead the Club in community service projects including a toy drive for the local children's hospital and fundraisers to help members attend conferences. Billy's success is a tremendous example to every member at the Club, including his younger siblings, that they can achieve their dreams and goals if they stay focused and work hard.

In addition, he was also selected as both Teen Member of the Month and Smilow-Burroughs Clubhouse "Boy of the Year" in 2014.

"The Maytag Dependable Leader Award allows us to give back to Boys & Girls Clubs professionals, Club youth and volunteers who continue to give tirelessly of themselves to the Clubs and the youth they work with," said Maytag's Laura Somers. "We are so proud of all of the finalists for the work they continue to do in their communities."

Boys & Girls Clubs provides services and support to enable youth to reach their full potential as high-performing adults. With a heritage of dependability dating back more than 100 years, the Maytag brand mission is to build high-performing, durable products consumers can count on. The partnership between Maytag and BGCA seeks to recognize and promote dependability – a quality that is at the core of what the Club's staff and volunteers do every day and is central to Maytag.

"Through this program, people from all over America were able to learn more about some of the most dedicated and inspiring leaders in our community," said Jim Clark, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "Billy, as well as the other four finalists, are excellent examples of the work that Boys & Girls Clubs professionals, Club youth and volunteers are doing every day to help youth across the country achieve great futures."

About Maytag Brand
For more than a century, Maytag brand appliances have been synonymous with dependability and durability. Through the commitment of Whirlpool Corporation, Maytag brand's enduring tradition of quality production and powerful performance continues to thrive. Exceptionally durable, commercial-grade components are found in many Maytag brand appliances – including Maytag^® Maxima® front-load and Maytag^® Bravos^® top-load washers and dryers, as well as Maytag® Jetclean® dishwashers with PowerBlast™ cycle. In January 2014, the Maytag brand introduced America to the Maytag Man – a dependable machine and the human embodiment of the durability, reliability and power inside all Maytag brand appliances. In addition to creating durable appliances, Maytag brand is also a reliable partner to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in their effort to support communities across America and help young people achieve great futures. Maytag brand is part of Whirlpool Corporation, the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $19 billion in 2013, 69,000 employees, and 59 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. For more information on Maytag brand, please visit Maytag.com or find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Maytag or Twitter at @MaytagBrand or @TheMaytagMan. Additional information about the company can be found at Whirlpoolcorp.com.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,100 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people annually through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more at http://www.bgca.org/facebook and http://bgca.org/twitter.

SOURCE Maytag Brand