Stevenson Award Honorees 'Put In An Outstanding Effort'

The group of students who traveled to Washington, D.C., this week left with more than a national award for community service.

Brett Erdmann, the school’s community service coordinator, said students’ experiences during the four-day trip will leave them with lifelong memories.

Eight Stevenson students, who comprise the school’s Students in Action group, headed to Washington on Sunday to represent their school at the annual Jefferson Awards ceremony, which bestows honors on community-minded individuals and groups.

They for student volunteerism efforts that instill the values of service, leadership and ethics. The award was based on a series of programs run by students during the 2010-11 school year, which included , Project Dance and Relay for Life, Erdmann said.

Stevenson students collectively volunteered more than 52,000 hours and raised more than $250,000 for local charities during the year.

Students in Action members, who received a in April, were “hopeful” that they’d be recognized on a national level and nervously awaited the results Tuesday night at the National Building Museum, which hosted a ceremony that Erdmann likened to the Academy Awards.

“We knew we were in the running for a big award,” he said. “The kids put in an outstanding effort this year.”

“They were extremely happy and surprised,” Erdmann said, adding that the group received a standing ovation.

They were in esteemed company. The Jefferson program also honors adult public servants; Chicago White Sox and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg were among this year’s award recipients.

“We talked to Jerry Reinsdorf and shook his hand,” Erdmann said. “The kids wanted to meet [Ginsberg], but they were stopped by the Secret Service

Their experience didn’t end with encounters with the nation’s elite. The students also took some time to sightsee in the nation’s capital. “We rode segways all around D.C.,” Erdmann said. “We had a blast.”

Erdmann noted that awards are only one component of the Jefferson program, which offers opportunities for networking with teens from other schools, training and promotes volunteerism across the country. And, he said, there is no cost to schools; the program covered the expenses of hotel rooms, training sessions and the gala.

“There really is no catch. It’s beyond me why every school in the national isn’t running for Jefferson Awards,” he said.

Representing Stevenson in Washington were Cole Deloye, Kayla Reinherz, Brady Richter, , Greg Schultheis, Neha Rao, Danielle Marks and Andelyn Russell. Russell and Rao are incoming seniors, while the six other students graduated earlier this month.

Stevenson staff members appoint eight students each year to Students in Action, which represents the school’s top leaders, who often have leadership roles in organizations such as National Honor Society, Student Council and the Freshman Mentoring Program. The group solicits nominations for students to receive monthly community service awards.

Rao and Russell will remain in the group as seniors, and will be joined by six new members this fall.