New Tampa Teen Receives Volunteer Service Award

Girl Scout Ambassador (grade 12) Mollie Schick of New Tampa has been honored for her exemplary volunteer service with a President’s Volunteer Service Award.

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. Mollie participated in the Spirit of Community program as a representative of Girl Scouts of West Central Florida (GSWCF) in Tampa, in which she is a member.

Mollie earned her award by creating PAL (Pets Altering Lives), a pet therapy program. Through PAL, Mollie not only visited assisted living facilities with her dog but provided information to pet owners on how to certify their pets to be therapy dogs and find places to volunteer, and compiled story books for readers of all ages. She also created a slide show to present the opportunity to her fellow Girl Scouts, as well as with people and organizations who may be interested in pet therapy.

“I felt it was important to participate in therapy because it was something I enjoyed, my dog enjoyed and the residents themselves enjoyed,” Mollie said in a news release. “In no way was my service hard work; it was simply fun and time for socializing.”

Through PAL, “I learned that a little of my time can make a world of difference in someone’s day,” Mollie added.

“We are incredibly proud of Mollie and her amazing achievement,” said Kim Jowell, CEO, GSWCF. “Her dedication to community service is inspiring, and a true testament of how Girl Scouts strive to make the world a better place.”

Sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), 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.

Mollie received her Girl Scout Gold Award in 2009. The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting, recognizes outstanding accomplishments in the areas of leadership, community service, career planning and personal development. She will be attending the University of Maryland in the fall, and plans to double major in business and Chinese.