HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Gabriel Marcum is used to surprising people.
“A lot of the time, people are shocked that I’m a sophomore,” Marcum said. “I honestly take that as a compliment.”
The Hutchinson High School sophomore was recently named the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hutchinson Youth of the Year, an honor he said has not fully sunk in yet but has already given him a platform to share what the Club has meant in his life.
Marcum said he has been a member of the Boys & Girls Club for about five or six years and described it as one of the most transformational experiences he has had.
“Boys and Girls Club is just kind of that pillar of hope in our society today,” he said. “It’s one of those places that kids can go and just feel safe no matter their circumstances.”
Marcum said the Club offers far more than an after-school place to spend time, pointing to academic support, career exploration and hands-on learning opportunities.
“Boys and Girls Club isn’t just an after-school program, it’s a home,” Marcum said. “As soon as you walk through those bright blue doors, you feel at home.”
Among his leadership experiences, Marcum said he helped start the Club’s coffee shop, The Cozy Bean, while he was still in middle school. He said he created applications, interviewed members and trained students who worked there. The Shadduck Park teen site serves students from sixth grade and up, while younger members attend the Avenue A location.
Marcum said the Club’s programs allow members to explore a wide range of interests, from homework help and cooking classes to esports and woodworking.
“Those bright blue doors have so many programs tailored to make sure kids can find something they’re passionate about,” he said.
Outside the Club, Marcum is a youth leader with RiseUp Reno Prevention Network, where he is involved in substance misuse prevention and mental health advocacy. He said those efforts align closely with his role as Youth of the Year.
“One thing I am extremely passionate about is having access to NARCAN in our community,” Marcum said. “Having that platform where I can talk about it and people will listen is extremely important.”
Marcum said he has traveled to Topeka multiple times to speak with lawmakers and attended a national youth leadership forum in Washington, D.C., experiences he said helped clarify why the work matters to him.
As Youth of the Year, Marcum said he sees his role as sharing what happens “behind those bright blue doors” and encouraging others to support the organization.
“I feel like I have this platform where I can talk freely about my experience,” he said. “Boys and Girls Club has shaped me into the person that I am today.”
Marcum said he plans to continue advocating for youth and community well-being while pursuing his long-term goal of becoming an elementary education teacher.
“Helping people is just one of those things that I want to do with my life,” he said.