Cera Dailey of Sherwood, Ark., and Lance Ragland of Sunnyvale, Texas, have been selected as the United States Bowling Congress Youth Ambassadors of the Year by the USBC Youth Committee.

The award annually recognizes one male and one female USBC Youth bowler for exemplary contributions in the sport of bowling, academic accomplishments and community involvement. Each winner receives a $1,500 scholarship, and one of the winners may be selected to serve as a member of the USBC Youth Committee for a period of three years.

Dailey, 18, graduated from Sylvan Hills High School in May 2010 and was captain of the bowling team her last two seasons. She was a member of the band and flag team and treasurer of the student government.

She created the Arkansas High School Bowling newsletter, which was distributed to centers throughout the state, to connect high school bowlers in Arkansas. The newsletter included articles pertaining to youth bowling issues, high scores and tournament results.

Dailey also served as secretary of her youth league and assisted with several fundraisers to help pay for tournaments and add to the prize funds. She also made and distributed fliers to area schools to try and bring more youth bowlers into the league.

Away from bowling, Dailey organized a campaign at her high school for Interfaith Hospitality Network of Little Rock, so people could donate clothing, coats and money for the homeless. She also serves as a volunteer at the Sherwood Animal Clinic, helping to walk and bathe the sheltered animals.

"To win this award is amazing," Dailey said. "I have been bowling since I was 4 years old, and to gain recognition as a leader in the bowling community means so much. When I got the phone call that I had won the award, I was in shock, which later turned into an unbelievable feeling of happiness. Since bowling has always been a big part of my life, I am very honored to have been chosen to be a Youth Ambassador for USBC."

Dailey currently is a freshman at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. She is on the Chancellor's Leadership Corp and is working to start a women's bowling program.

Ragland, 19, graduated from Poteet High School in Mesquite, Texas, in 2010 with a 3.25 grade-point average and was actively involved in the school's theater department as a performer and behind the scenes. He also participated in the school's trick-or-treat program each year, collecting more than 10,000 canned goods for local charities.

In 2006, Ragland and a friend created the Lone Star Youth Classic Tour to fill the void of competitive tournaments available to youth bowlers in the North Texas area. With help from his parents, the tour has featured eight to 10 events each year, awarded more than $35,000 in scholarships and advanced more than 30 bowlers to the USBC Junior Gold Championships.

"Winning this award puts me in a class of individuals who have worked really hard for the growth of youth bowling," Ragland said. "It has a special meaning for me because it means that you are an individual who not only cares about their bowling, but the growth of bowling."

Ragland has been a member of the Dallas USBC Youth Association Board of Directors for the last two years, and also is a member of the Bowling Writers Association of America.

"What has always impressed me about Lance is his positive outlook on life," Plano (Texas) Super Bowl Youth Director Joyce Claus said in her recommendation letter. "He has participated in youth leagues at several centers in the Dallas area and makes friends wherever he goes."

Ragland currently attends the University of North Texas where he is majoring in Converged Broadcast Media and is a member of the UNT bowling team.

For information about USBC scholarships, visit BOWL.com/scholarships.