Above / In November 2014, the Naperville City Council honored 18 students with Youth Service Awards. (Photo by Jo Lundeen)
UPDATE Nov. 9, 2015 / The 2015 Naperville Youth Service Awards will be presented at 5:30PM Mon., Nov. 16, when Mayor Steve Chirico, the City Council of Naperville, and KidsMatter will recognize 21 local student volunteers for outstanding service to the community. The presentation of awards will be held in City Council Chambers.  First presented when Sam Macrane served as mayor in 1993, Chirico follows George Pradel, becoming the third Naperville mayor to recognize students with the annual Youth Service Awards.
Posted Dec. 4, 2014 / KidsMatter, together with Mayor A. George Pradel and the Naperville City Council, honored 18 students for their significant community service efforts during the Naperville Youth Service Awards celebration on November 17. Proud family and friends of the students packed the Council Chambers at the Naperville Municipal Center in support of the outstanding youth.
Since 1993, the City of Naperville has presented the Naperville Youth Service Award to encourage all youth to get involved in community service.
Nominations for this year’s awards came from 15 local organizations and agencies that specifically provide young people with opportunities to volunteer their time and energy. The volunteer opportunities give teens a sense of purpose, provide them with valuable hands-on experiences, and ignite the generous spirit that has helped make Naperville the thriving community it is today.
During the award ceremony Mayor Pradel and members of the City Council honored each individual student and also recognized their nominating organization. Each student received a Naperville Youth Service Award Pin, a framed certificate and a custom frame into which they will be able to place a photo of themselves receiving their award from the Mayor.
Mayor Pradel and the City Council expressed gratitude to the students for giving their time, energy and hearts to make a positive difference in the lives of other people while making Naperville a better place in which to live.
Youth Award Recipient / Nominating Organization
- Stacia Bohnert and Erin Cady / 360 Youth Services – Operation Snowball
- Jessica Kim / Almost Home Kids
- Tracy Nguyen / DuPage Children’s Museum
- Sylwia Osos / DuPage Habitat for Humanity
- Christina Schoose / Edward Hospital and Health Services
- Austin Cao / Feed My Starving Children
- David Krohn / Forest Preserve District of Will County
- Alyssa Fieldman / GiGi’s Playhouse Fox Valley
- Noelle Maher / GiGi’s Playhouse Fox Valley
- Lauren Majerik / KidsMatter
- Gina Palasz / Kidz Kabaret
- Cheryl Rajiv / Loaves and Fishes Community Services
- Katie Jaseckas / The Morton Arboretum
- Nathan Bryk / Naper Settlement
- Taylor Ross / NaperBridge
- Jack Bransby / Naperville Park District
- Krishna Bhatia / Naperville Public Library
