Denzel Washington poses with Arya Pocock of Chico at the Boys and Girls Clubs’ National Youth of the Year gala in Atlanta on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024. (Juleah Cordi/Contributed)
CHICO — Actors nominated for Academy Awards often say they’re honored just to be nominated. Chico’s Arya Pocock got to meet someone in that very position, Denzel Washington, last week in Atlanta, where she competed as a finalist for Boys and Girls Clubs National Youth of the Year.
Like Washington did for eight of his 10 Oscar nods, Arya heard someone else announced as the winner. Nico Flowers, the Southeast Regional Youth of the Year from Florida, took top honors Wednesday night. Prepared for that possibility, Arya took the result with grace — and a measure of relief, too…