The Youth of the Year award is the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley's highest honor. It recognizes the efforts of teen Club members in the Valley who are putting in hard work, investing in their personal growth and their community, and exhibiting leadership qualities in their schools and clubs.

Since 1947, the Youth of the Year program has been Boys & Girls Clubs of America's signature event. Fostering the leaders of tomorrow to fully prepare them to live and lead in a diverse, global, and integrated world economy. The Youth of the Year competition is open to all Boys & Girls Club members ages 14-18. Each Club honors one young man or woman every month, then chooses a single outstanding youth to represent their Club at the annual Youth of the Year event. 

Counting down to Youth of the Year 2026: BLUEPRINT!

Chuck McClure, Jr. was raised in Columbus, Georgia, the second child of Charles and Dorothy McClure. He attended public schools in Columbus before enrolling at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

Following graduation, Chuck began his career in the family-owned radio broadcasting business. While working at a station in North Georgia, he started producing local public interest stories. During one of those assignments—covering the local Georgia State Patrol post—he spent time with Troopers, rode along with them, and gained firsthand insight into their work. That experience, as Chuck often says, left him “bitten by the bug,” prompting him to apply for and be accepted into the Georgia State Patrol training program.

Chuck went on to serve several years as a Georgia State Trooper before being accepted into the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, where he worked as a Special Agent. In total, Chuck dedicated more than 20 years to serving the State of Georgia in law enforcement.

During his career in law enforcement, Chuck developed a deep passion for teaching and mentoring disadvantaged youth. He firmly believes that when young people are shown the right path early in life, they may avoid future involvement with the justice system—an outlook that has shaped his lifelong commitment to youth development and community service.

After more than two decades of service, Chuck took early retirement and returned to Columbus to rejoin the family broadcasting business. Since returning home, he has been involved in a variety of business and real estate ventures and has continued his commitment to philanthropy by serving on multiple charitable boards. Notably, Chuck has served on the Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley for 28 years, reflecting his unwavering dedication to the organization’s mission.

Chuck credits his parents as foundational role models for service and leadership. Both were deeply involved in civic and charitable efforts throughout Columbus and the State of Georgia. His father, Chuck McClure, Sr., served for many years on the former Boys Clubs board, as did Chuck’s brother Joe and brother-in-law Mark Moore, who currently serves on the board in Cherokee County, Georgia. Collectively, the McClure family has contributed more than 60 years of service to Boys & Girls Clubs across Georgia, a legacy that inspired the creation of the McClure Family Foundation.



Chuck is married to Carol Kerlin O’Hara of Columbus and Boston. Together, they have four children and six grandchildren, and remain deeply rooted in the Columbus community.