GREEN BAY, Wis. — The NFL and the Boys and Girls Clubs have partnered for over 40 years to impact kids’ lives.
On the second day of the draft, the NFL will impact the lives of two local student club members in a big way.
Ben Perkovich is the senior director of the Boys and Girls Club of Green Bay. Perkovich has helped impact kids’ lives for 17 years.
He said that on Friday, the organization will change two kids’ lives in a way he never imagined.
“We are going to have two club kids announce the second-round pick with a Packers legend,” he said.
Perkovich said the NFL and the Packers selected two kids from a portfolio of candidates. Perkovich described Kenia Nuno, who was candidate number one.
“Our youth of the year is just a phenomenal representation of what club kids can be and are,” Perkovich said.
Nuno is an 11th-grade student-athlete who loves serving her community. She also loves the Packers. Nuno said she’s excited to make her draft day debut.
“It’s such an awesome opportunity to be able to do it, and it’s mostly just excitement, and getting ready for who’s going to be our next players, and it’s really going to be fun,” Nuno said.
Perkovich described the second candidate, Marcellus Calhoun-Jiles.
“Just an exceptional young person, advanced in academics in his school, played, does mixed martial arts. He also knows three instruments,” Perkovich said.
Calhoun-Jiles is an eighth-grader enrolled in a gifted program. His dad helped fill him in on the details of the draft. Calhoun-Jiles said he’s ready to help make the big announcement.
“This means a lot to me, and being able to be recognized by the Packers, as well as the Boys and Girls Club and all of the Green Bay communities, just in general — I know this will be a very, very fun opportunity,” Calhoun-Jiles said.
These two phenomenal students will be featured nationwide on the draft stage.
Perkovich said he hopes the viewers can see how the Boys and Girls Club helps empower kids.
“They’re two of thousands we see here locally and across the country. So really want to highlight what clubs do across the country and the youth that we serve, the families that we change, the impact that we have,” Perkovich said.
Nuno and Calhoun-Jiles will help announce the Packers’ 54th pick — barring any trade.
