When Suzanne Hall first walked through the doors of the Ballard Boys and Girls Club, she had an uphill battle to climb. Ten years ago, after Hall's parents divorced, her mother used to drop her off at the club while she worked. Back then the family depended on the Ballard Food Bank for food, donated clothing from women's shelters and financial help from other charitable groups to survive. Things got worse when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.

But young Suzanne made friends at the club, liked the nice counselors, the activities and cool kids to hang out with. Now, she's won the Ballard Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year award - for the second time.

In middle school, she started tutoring kindergarten to first grade kids in reading. This was the beginning of her training to be a counselor. Hall helped run activities for the club's summer programs in the tenth grade. That year she served as the Ballard Boys and Girls Club's "Snack Queen."

In the last five years, Hall has spent 3,500 hours working with children at the club.

During that time, Hall has been an active staff member. Her activities have included working as: counselor in training, drop-in counselor, junior counselor, a member of Keystone, SMART Girls and the Torch Club.

"It has shown me there are nice people in the world and to give back where you can," said Hall.

She worked with an Autistic boy named Kaipo for two summers. "He is wonderful. We went on field trips. We played soccer, read together and played games. I tried to get him to interact with kids and made sure he had a fun time," said Hall.

Last summer, Hall helped organize a Keystone conference for 1,500 teens in Orlando, Florida. The work was exciting, but stressful. Most of all it was another learning experience.

"Good leaders know how to lead, know when to follow and how to be a good example to other people," Hall said.

She was in the Girl Scouts for seven years and was a patrol leader.

Hall also was named the Ballard Boys and Girls Club Youth of the Year as a sophomore at Ballard High.

Only four other young people have won the award twice at the club.

She is a senior and is done with her studies at Ballard high. Now Hall is in the Running Start program. This allows outstanding juniors and seniors in high school to take college level courses.

"She is fantastic. I've known her since she was eight years old. I watched her grow up and mature. She's a great kid. She is a Ballard Boys and Girls Club kid that overcame a lot. It shows she does not give up," the Mark Hendricks, the club's executive director.

In a speech Hall wrote to earn her, her second Youth of the Year award, she explained. "There is a name for people like me in the Boys and Girls Club world. I am known as a "lifer," a person who will always be a part of the Boys and Girls Club no matter what. To me the Boys and Girls Club is just that; a place that will always have a place in my heart as my second home and a place where I can make a difference," said Hall.

Hall plans on going to Western Washington University and become a second grade teacher.

"I like being in a leadership role. I really like kids and working with them," said Hall.