FORT PIERCE, Fla. — A Port St. Lucie teenager named Youth of the Year for the Southeast Region of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America is heading to the FIFA World Cup finals — and he had no idea it was coming.
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Enrique Rosario Liz was surprised at the Boys & Girls Club of St. Lucie County in Fort Pierce with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: He will serve as one of 12 club members from across the country selected to be an official Coca-Cola flag bearer at the FIFA World Cup finals on July 19.
The surprise came courtesy of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and their partnership with the Coca-Cola Company.
"The Boys & Girls Clubs has been my everything," Rosario Liz said.
Rosario Liz had already been juggling a packed summer, preparing for move-in at the University of Florida and an internship, but said the World Cup had been on his mind.
"My time is really being taken up by the World Cup right now, forcing my parents to watch every game," Rosario Liz said.
When the box containing the news was walked into the room surrounded by fellow club members, Rosario Liz's reaction was immediate.
"This is crazy. I mean, wow. I mean, this is so insane," Rosario Liz said.
Along with the trip, Rosario Liz also received official gear inside the box. He credited the Boys & Girls Club with shaping who he has become as a leader.
"The club really helped me to find what my leadership style was going to be, and really redefined what my definition of leadership was," Rosario Liz said.
"It is such an honor. It has been something so amazing to see how my community sees me as a leader," he said.
Rosario Liz said he feels fortunate for everything that has come his way.
"These are crazy opportunities happening. I mean, I'm just so lucky. I'm so lucky," Rosario Liz said.
He closed with a message for the younger members of the club looking up to him.
"Please stay with your Boys & Girls Clubs, because one day I want to see each and every one of you in the same position that I am in right now," Rosario Liz said.
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