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 President Barack Obama.

Pooja participated in the Spirit of Community program this year as a representative of North Mecklenburg High School. Pooja’s project was to create a club at school to promote environmental sustainability.  The name of her organization is Green Team. With the other members, our school’s recycling program was expanded and modified. She worked in collaboration with CMS Solid Waste and Recycling. The group is also creating an on-site composting facility. The composting facility should be implemented by the beginning of next school year.

Sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program recognizes young people across America for outstanding community service activities.  More than 310,000 young people across America have been considered for these awards since the program began in 1995.

“The young people recognized by the Spirit of Community Awards demonstrate an enormous capacity for giving and reaching out to those in need,” said Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals.  “

We’re proud to honor them as they are wonderful examples of the high caliber of young people in our nation’s schools today.”