Audrey Van Kooten, a Yelm High School senior, thought she missed Yelm Mayor Joe DePinto’s announcement for the City of Yelm’s Youth of the Year during the Christmas in the Park festivities at Yelm City Park on Saturday, Dec. 7.
She walked outside near the stage in her Santa outfit that took her four hours to make, and she saw a bunch of children already on stage. But when DePinto announced her as the 2024 Youth of the Year, her confusion turned into shock and awe.
“I was like, ‘Oh no, I’ve missed it. If I won, this looks so bad. And then he says my name, and I was definitely shocked,” Van Kooten said. “There’s definitely kids that have done more and had way more opportunities to serve than I have.”
Van Kooten received $50, a gift certificate to Quark and Odo’s Escape Room Experience, and a certificate. She serves as a volunteer at Easthaven Villa Assisted Living & Memory Care in Yelm, the president of the YHS Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter, and was also a page for the Washington State House of Representatives as a sophomore.
During his speech, DePinto highlighted Van Kooten’s “heart for service” and her academic achievements.
“Audrey’s achievements are as inspiring as they are impressive. Academically, she continues to excel, demonstrating a commitment to education and personal growth,” he said. “Beyond her academic pursuits, Audrey’s heart for service is evident in her volunteer work at the Easthaven Memory Care Center, where her compassion and kindness have made a meaningful impact on the lives of many.”
Van Kooten said winning the award carried a lot of meaning for her because of the four years of service and hard work she has put forth. She, along with fellow FBLA members, have stopped by Easthaven every Halloween for the last four years to give candy to seniors.
“It means a lot to me. I love going to Easthaven and hanging out with the patients there. It’s one of the best parts of my year when I get to go there for Halloween and give them candy,” she said. “It’s a bright part of their day, and I love being that bright person. I got so many hugs from ladies and gentlemen.”
Through her work with the FBLA, Van Kooten has gained a lot of confidence socially and professionally. She has earned success in FBLA competitions, including placing first regionally and third at state and has competed nationally for the last three years.
“I’ve definitely learned [to have] a lot more confidence. I would not have been able to walk up on that stage and smile my freshman year. I would have been so nervous,” Van Kooten said. “You meet a lot of people, and you have to talk. You won’t survive doing events that test different abilities like public speaking and interview skills.”
After graduating from YHS, Van Kooten hopes to study biomedical science at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. She applied for the Youth of the Year award as a boost for her resume and as evidence that she is dedicated to serving the community.
“I applied to be the Youth of the Year because I felt that my service had exemplified my character and my time in Yelm. That service will help me going forward because I’ll be able to serve others better,” she said.
The honor was distinctly significant for Van Kooten after facing a number of financial barriers throughout the last few years, challenges that have been amplified after Yelm Community Schools’ recent levy failures.
“I’ve had free and reduced lunch for the past several years, and especially with the levy failure, it has not made it easier,” she said. “There’s a lot of financial barriers for me, so I have to find ways that I can get different scholarships and get different opportunities, such as paging for the State of Washington.”
Van Kooten was a page starting in March of 2023 and described the experience as a thrill to be one of only 30 students from around Washington that work in the House of Representatives each legislative session.
“I learned responsibility and teamwork. There’s a tiny storage closet in the Capitol, and there’s a guy that calls and says, ‘Hey, we need a page to do this.’ You’ve gotta be ready to go at any time,” she said. “Along with the paging, there were classes you had to take. We had to film a project learning the ranks of government and how a bill is created into a law. My group won.”
While Van Kooten is not originally from Yelm, she considers the town her home. In fact, she moved around frequently as a child and never spent much time at any of her schools.
“When I started at Yelm High School as a freshman, I was like, ‘Oh no, I’m gonna have to move in a couple years.’ I didn’t expect to get to stay, but through the last four years, this community has become a family to me,” she said.
