The Cattaraugus County Youth Bureau is pleased to announce that this week’s Youth of the Week is Breanna Byroads. Breanna is the daughter of Randy and Schavon Byroads and is a senior at Ellicottville Central School.
Breanna was nominated by her Youth Court mentor, who shared, “I am nominating Breanna for the Youth Citizenship Award because, having known her since she was little and now as her Youth Court mentor, I have seen her grow into a compassionate, dedicated, and positive force in our community.”
Breanna has an extensive history of community service, much of which reflects her love of working with children. Since 2021, she has volunteered at numerous community events, including the Dime Carnival, Daddy-Daughter Dance, Santa’s Secret Workshop, and Family Fun Night. At these events, she assists with setup and cleanup while also helping children participate in activities and enjoy the events.
For the past two years, Breanna has volunteered to park cars during Ellicottville’s Fall Festival as part of a fundraising effort. Since 2024, she has also been a member of Cattaraugus County Youth Court, serving in various roles within the student-run judicial program and helping hear and respond to cases brought before the court.
During the past year, Breanna volunteered at the West Valley Volunteer Fire Department’s PJ Pop-Up event, where she taught children how to bake cookies and sang songs with them. She also volunteered during the Community Christmas Stroll, helping children get into their costumes and accompanying them during the event.
Breanna is equally active within her school community. She assists with the Ellicottville Caring Closet, where she organizes donated clothing, shops for needed items using donated funds, and helps students find clothing. She currently serves as president of Ellicottville Fire Keepers, helping to organize activities and programs designed to bring students together and prevent bullying.
Her passion for working with children is also evident in her volunteer work with Ellicottville’s pre-kindergarten classes. Breanna assists teachers with classroom activities, plays with students, helps with snacks, and provides supervision during playtime.
Breanna’s school involvement extends to the Ellicottville Yearbook Club, Varsity Club, and Ellicottville Student Council Advisory Committee. She also serves as treasurer of the senior class.
Academically, Breanna has earned honor roll or high honor roll status throughout her high school career. She was also accepted into the New Visions in Education program, which provides opportunities to take college-level courses through Jamestown Community College and St. Bonaventure University while gaining valuable experience through internships. Athletically, Breanna is a member of the Ellicottville varsity volleyball team and the varsity sideline basketball cheer squad.
In addition to balancing academics, athletics, volunteer service, and school activities, Breanna works part-time to save money for college. She has earned money through babysitting, house sitting, and pet sitting and has worked as a hostess and busser at a local restaurant. This past summer, she worked full-time as a daycare provider at Holiday Valley Resort.
In her spare time, Breanna enjoys traveling, spending time with family and friends, and relaxing at the beach or by a pool. Looking toward the future, she plans to turn her love of working with children into a career as an elementary school teacher while continuing to pursue her passion for travel.
Youth Citizenship Awards
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