Giving back: Mayor recognizes Hilton Head students' service

Hilton Head Island Mayor Drew Laughlin presented 47 island middle and high school students with the Mayor's Youth Volunteer Service Award at a special ceremony at Town Hall on Monday.

"The ceremony presented a way to thank and honor these students, who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspired others to engage in volunteer service and who have given their valuable time and effort into making a difference in our community," according to a statement from the Mayor's Office.

All 47 students completed more than 50 hours of community service since May 1, 2011, contributing a total of more than 6,110 volunteer hours. Nineteen of the 47 contributed more than 150 hours of service to earn the Mayor's Call to Service Award and three contributed more than 300 volunteer hours.

Recipients for each level included:

Silver Level (51 to 100 hours):

Jillian Angner, Emily Blackshire, Jessica Bonilla, Hannah Brink, Dan Chambers, Marc Halseth, Kaeleigh Judge, Shane Judge, Peyton Leitner, Abigail Marlin, Darby O'Donnell, Kensley Phillips, Collins Richardson, Kayla Schauss, William Scheifele, Hannah Simpson, Emily Tedesco, Brad Tigges, Mark Tigges, Kaley VanEenenaam, Ben Warner, Sydnee Wheeler, and Spencer Woofolk.

Gold Level (101 to 150 hours):

Marielle Alexander, Adrian Austin, Conner Hollifield, Maya Nelander, and Justin Shaw.

Mayor's Call to Service Award (More than 150 hours):

Erin Andersen, Tara Bianco, Austin Borasky, Caitlin Buckalew, Mary Hannah Carroll, Caroline Cauthen, Kaylee Ehlers, Nick Evangelista, Jasmyn Howell, Emma McGoldrick, Jean-Luc McMurtry, Kevin Palacio, Forest Richardson, Jane Whaley Rogers, Julia Swidzinski, Toere Taalib-din, Tommy Vater, Nicholas Wheeler, and Jean White.

* Photos courtesy of the Town of Hilton Head Island