When Nichelle Grage, Carlie Kreutzbender and Yury Leon heard on the school announcements that their volunteer work could be recognized, they decided to share the experience. The three Ellis students were chosen and honored for their volunteer work in the community.

Ellis Middle School co-sponsored the Prudential Community Awards Program for the first time last year. The program honors middle and high school students across the country each year for outstanding community service.

"Schools have the choice to promote the program and we decided to begin doing that within the last year," said Lea Oelfke the school counselor at Ellis.

Students fill out a three-page application explaining the nature of their volunteer work, inspiration, impact and personal growth.

Ellis's administration judged the applications based on the answers submitted. Grage, a sixth grader, won the award for her volunteer work at the Austin's Public Library. "I liked looking at the kids' faces when they saw me dressed up in my costumes."

Dressed as life size characters, Grage helped with a children reading program. As the top local honoree, Grage received a $100 savings bond.

Leon an eighth grader who received second place, has been volunteering her language skills since she move to the United States from Mexico. She got the idea from her mom after seeing that many people need help with the language. "As an interpreter … sometimes I have to go the bank, post office and insurance companies," Leon wrote in her application. At her family's store "Mi Tierra" on Main Street, people go and ask if she can help and interpret for them.

"Ms. Nelson told me that I should try because they never had an ESL student win, so I did," Leon said.

Kreutzbender, another eighth grader, was the third runner up. She has volunteered at the Mower County Humane Society since she was eight years old. "I've always loved animals and just decided to do it after I heard from a friend of a friend, Kreutzbender said. Because of the experience, Kreutzbender said she can speak and explain things with more confidence.

"As a counselor, I believe that building connectdeness in the young people of the community is crucial part of building a strong sense of self and developing ownership in our community," Oelfke said.

Grage's application was submitted to the state's judges, who then will pick the top youth volunteers in each state. The top winners in each state are awarded silver medallions, $1,000 awards and a trip to Washington, D.C.

Roxana Orellana can be reached at 434-2214 or by e-mail at roxana.orellana@austindailyherald.com