NYLC Announces 2012 Service-Learning Award Recipients

The National Youth Leadership Council is pleased to present the winners of this year’s National Service-Learning Awards.  Awards will be presented during the National Service-Learning Conference® and youthrive PeaceJam Leadership Conference, Our World, Our Future, April 11-14, 2012 in Minneapolis, Minn.

Alec Dickson Servant Leader Award

The Alec Dickson Servant Leader Award honors exemplary leaders who have inspired those in the service-learning field, positively impacted the lives of young people, and motivated others to take up the banner of service.

Nancy Grasmick

Nancy S. Grasmick was Maryland's first female state superintendent and the United States’ longest serving appointed schools chief. Grasmick is known for her strong focus on student achievement, teacher quality, parent involvement, public school funding, and early care and education. It is this commitment to high-quality early learning that made Maryland the only state in the nation to have consolidated all of its early childhood programs at the state department of education. Under Grasmick's leadership, Maryland was nationally recognized for its many achievements. Grasmick's career in education began as a teacher of deaf children at the William S. Baer School in Baltimore City, and subsequently served as a classroom and resource teacher, principal, supervisor, assistant superintendent, and associate superintendent in the Baltimore County Public Schools. In 1989, Governor William Donald Schaeffer appointed her Special Secretary for Children, Youth, and Families and, in 1991, the Maryland State Board of Education appointed her State Superintendent of Schools.

G. Bernard Gill Urban Service-Learning Leadership Award

The G. Bernard Gill Urban Service-Learning Leadership Award honors individuals who, by example, have played a leadership role in urban schools, communities, and the lives of young people.

Serena Muhammad

Serena Muhammad is the Founding Executive Director of America Scores St. Louis. Muhammad has created high impact, youth-driven service-learning opportunities for over 2,000 youth. She has trained over 100 teachers in underserved public schools to implement and lead service-learning projects. Her volunteer commitment mirrors her professional career and includes serving on the Board of Directors for the Healthy Youth Partnership. She also serves as a federal grant reviewer for the U.S. Department of Education, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Health and Human Services. 

Service-Learning Practitioner Leadership Award

The Service-Learning Practitioner Leadership Award recognizes those practitioners who have equipped young people to lead and serve, both through their direct work with youth and by nurturing other practitioners.

Nan Peterson

Nan Peterson has been a teacher and administrator at The Blake School for 30 years. She is part of the Office of Equity and Community Engagement at Blake as the Director of Service- Learning. She is also a Shinnyo-en senior fellow, encouraging the Shinnyo-en Six Billion Paths to Peace program. During the past ten years, Peterson has hosted The Gathering — an event that brings together local and national service-learning leaders. She is a board member of several service agencies including LearningWorks, Jabbok Family Services, Grab The Torch, and Wayzata Community Church. Peterson has a global interest in service in Kenya and leads trips for students and adults to Light of Hope Children's Center in Naivasha, Kenya. Her Path to Peace is to model and encourage service at The Blake School and beyond.

Youth Leadership for Service-Learning Excellence Award

The Youth Leadership for Service-Learning Excellence Award recognizes K-12 service-learning programs and projects that demonstrate outstanding youth leadership.

The Upstream Downstream Connection

The Upstream Downstream Connection summer camp focuses on water conservation and recycling. The student camp volunteers represent public, private, and home school students. Although volunteers come from different schools and backgrounds, they find an instant connection that makes it fun to lead the Boys & Girls Club campers into action. Each volunteer contributes their own unique abilities and talents including kayaking, snorkeling, insect identification, marine science, and cooking. With advanced planning and daily meetings, they organize and prepare for camp responsibilities. As role models for the campers, volunteers help solve problems and encourage campers to try new things. Each holds the belief that our actions on land create reactions in the ocean — good and bad. Service-learning is integral to the program. Last summer, students filmed PSAs and hosted a National Make A Difference Day event. The Upstream Downstream Connection is expanding the project and planning for 6 camps for the summer of 2012.