ALP congratulates our first recipients of the President’s Volunteer Service Award. These young people completed at least 50 volunteer hours in the last year. Each one received a medal, a certificate, and a letter from President Obama.
Megan Ha, age 12, of California, received a Gold Award for her book drive for Sierra Leone. “I would just like to say that I felt really good about doing this project because I can just imagine the kids’ excited faces when they see their new library.”
Brother and sister Sahil and Sajni Shah of New Jersey are experienced book drive organizers who both received awards. Sahil, age 12, received a Bronze Award. Sahil explained his motivation and support, “As an avid reader, doing book drives for different countries like Lesotho, Malawi, Botswana has given me a sense of awareness and has helped me in spreading literacy to many children in Africa who would have gone days without reading a book. I would also like to thank all my friends and family who have supported my book drives by donating books and money.”
Sahil’s little sister Sajni, age 9, did her own book drive for Botswana and received a Silver Award. “I love to read and I never knew that many children in the world are without books! That was very devastating to me.”
Sofia, age 12, of Pennsylvania, received a Bronze Award for her book drive for Botswana: “I feel honored to have taken part in this truly life-changing cause. My family and I will soon make a road trip to New Orleans to ship the books! This has been an eye-opening adventure.”
Sahil says he is “looking forward to many more years of spreading literacy with ALP!” Will you join him? All ALP volunteers in the US are eligible to receive a President’s Volunteer Service Award. Just create an account on the website, which is where you will track your hours. In “My Profile” be sure to enter your birthdate and the ALP key: RKQ-8308. Then track your hours, and if you complete enough before September 14, you are eligible for an award (the number of hours required varies by age).