The President Volunteer Service Award, given to students with anywhere between 50 to 300 hours of volunteer work under their belts, was awarded to BSM students on May 25 for their outstanding dedication to service.

The number of applicants for the PVSA is the highest in BSM history. Although last year’s 69 award winners seem like a lot, this year’s 96 recipients have far exceed that, largely due to the considerable number of junior high students who applied. “I am really proud of the junior highers that applied this year. Their numbers have doubled, and the hours that they served are way over the minimum,” said Ms. Lisa Lenhart-Murphy, service-learning coordinator.

Although the numbers have increased substantially since last year, Ms. Lenhart-Murphy believes this number could be higher. “Kids that qualify for the award don’t always apply, either because they don’t know that their service counts towards the award or they don’t think they have actually volunteered to that magnitude,” said Ms. Lenhart-Murphy.

This award is also very special for the students that will receive it. Not only will it look good on a college application, it will be also recognized as a federal award by President Obama. “It’s cool to see that someone of that importance is recognizing us because sometimes adults don’t think that kids can make a difference, but, the president shows we can,” said junior Emily Boole, who received the award for the fifth year in a row.

The President Service Award will continue to be a great honor for people who sacrifice their free time for service. “This is a great award because this is about the only time these people get to be recognized for following their faith call,” said Lenhart Murphy.