Teens may receive presidential honors

CERT program trains youth in disaster response

Monday, September 17, 2007 7:22 AM CDT

St. Charles County's Teen Community Emergency Response Team (Teen CERT) will now serve as a certifying organization for the President's Volunteer Service Award.

The President's Volunteer Service Award was established in 2003 as a national program that recognizes those who demonstrate a commitment to volunteerism. Presidential recognition is given to individuals, families and groups that meet requirements for volunteer service measured by the number of service hours performed over 12 months. These services meet national and community needs in the categories of youth achievement, parks and open spaces, healthy communities, public safety and emergency response.

To receive an award, volunteers keep a record of activities and hours served. As a certifying organization, the Teen CERT program is responsible for verifying those service hours, as well as nominating potential recipients, and ordering and delivering the award.

"Our Teen CERT volunteers are role models in their schools and community," said Mark Rosenblum, coordinator of the Teen CERT program. "We are proud to recognize our youth with the President's Volunteer Service Award, and it is our way of thanking these student volunteers and inspiring everyone in our community to make volunteering a central part of their lives."

St. Charles County's Teen CERT program graduated its first four students in August. Through the program, members learned how to identify types of disasters and hazards most likely to affect their homes and communities.

The program is designed for youth 12-18, but students may begin taking the training in as early as third grade.

Visit the Teen CERT Program's training and consulting Web site, www.stci.us, or contact Rosenblum at 636-332-0790 for more information.

For more information on the President's Volunteer Service Award and to find out how to identify additional volunteer opportunities in the area, visit www.PresidentialServiceAwards.gov or call 866-545-5307.