Tara Kelly and Anders Korn receive president's volunteer service award

WARWICK — Warwick Valley High School students Tara Kelly and Anders Korn have been honored for their volunteer service with the President’s Volunteer Service Award. The award, which recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country, was presented by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program on behalf of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. Kelly and Korn participated in the Spirit of Community program this year as representatives of the high school. Kelly earned her award based on her volunteer work with the Warwick Ambulance Corps, the St. Anthony’s Hospital Emergency Room and the Joan Butler Institute of Dance in Monroe. Korn has volunteered his time to the Ecumenical Council Food Pantry. He has worked on numerous holiday food drives, as well as assisted during the summer months. “Kelly and Anders are students who have chosen to give back to their community,” said High School Principal John Buckley. “They exemplify those traits we would like to see all citizens exhibit.” Program applications were distributed last September through all public and private middle level and high schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCA’s and Volunteer Centers. After local honorees were named, state-level judges selected state honorees, Distinguished finalists and certificate of excellence recipients. Volunteer activities were judged on criteria such as personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact, and personal growth. Nearly 250,000 young Americans have been considered for these awards since the program began in 1995.