Plymouth-Whitemarsh Student Honored with 'Freedom Valley' Award

Norristown, PA -- Three area students have been honored for service to the community with Freedom Valley Awards for Community Service, a press release announced.

The students are top academic individuals and have involved themselves in their community in an outstanding way, the release states.

The awards are presented by three high schools in the "Freedom Valley," a geographical area defined as between Philadelphia and Perkiomen Valley, and North Penn and the Main Line.

David Sontag of East Norriton received the 2016 Freedom Valley Award for Community Service at Norristown Area High School. He was in the National Honor Society and played on several sports teams, including the school’s freshman and junior varsity baseball team and the local municipal basketball team.

Sontag was a member of the JROTC, participating in the Raiders Team, the Drill Team, and the Academic Team. He participates in volunteer service with his church and is an Eagle Scout. Sontag was recognized with the Union League’s Good Citizenship Award. He will be attending the United States Military Academy at West Point with a major in Accounting. Sontag plans to be an Army Ranger.

The 2016 Freedom Valley Award for Community Service at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School was awarded to Paul Thomas of Plymouth Township. Mr. Thomas earned high grades in his class, and participated in the Science, Math, and Reading Olympiad as well as the National Honor Society. He was a varsity player on the Lacrosse Team at the high school. He has been active in a number of community activities, including helping individuals with developmental disabilities at Camphill at Kimberton, helping doctors taking vitals at the Evershine Clinic in a rural community in India, and helping prepare packages for children at Cradles to Crayon.

Thomas worked at a research laboratory in Philadelphia during the summer of 2015. He will be attending Drexel University with a major in Biomedical Engineering.

Lauren Kirkpatrick of Upper Merion Township was the recipient of the 2016 Freedom Valley Award for Community Service at the Upper Merion Area High School. A top student in her senior class, Ms. Kirkpatrick helped children improve their literacy skills through the Upper Merion Township Reading Buddy Program, helped with serving breakfasts through the Community of Caring, and danced to rasie money through the Mini Thon. She was a member of the Interact Club and SADD as well as wrote news stories for the Viking Call newspaper.

Kirkpatrick participated in a number of community activities through Wayne United Methodist Church, including a mission trip to Costa Rica, providing home-cooked meals through the Interfaith Hospitality Network, and visiting elderly individuals in nursing homes through a the Elderly Shut-In Visitation Program. She was honored by the American Legion.

She will be attending West Chester University with a major in Business/Marketing.