Elizabeth Terwilliger Student Community Service Award Goes to Amelia Sharpe!

Each year the Elizabeth Terwilliger Student Community Service Award is given to a 5th grader who exemplifies the meaning of giving back to the community or world in which they live and grow.  This year the award is being given to Amelia Sharpe, a fifth grade student in Mrs. Shern's class!

Amelia's dedication has benefitted many local programs with her positive spirit and student service.  Each year, for Amelia's birthday, she picks a charity to support and her guests volunteer for that charity as part of her celebration.  In lieu of gifts, each guest donate to the charity and or purchase a membership.  In the past, Amelia's birthday wish has included:

• Making sure all children had a present to open for the holiday's.  Guests brought unwrapped gifts and financial support to the Mill Valley Fire Department in support of Toys for Tots.  She has bought toys every year since!
• Restoring of Paradise Park in which guests pulled weeds, mulched, planted trees and picked up trash.  This was arranged through Marin Parks Department.
• Cleaning the ocean!  Guests helped clean Muir Beach with the Golden Gate Parks Conservancy.
• Collected books for the Mill Valley Public Library.
• Cleaned the park and beach at McNears Beach County Park with the Marin Parks Department.
• Raised funds for the paleontology department at U.C Berkeley to help support important programs.

Along with all that, she donates a percentage of her own money that she receives from the holiday's towards supporting theatre groups, the parks department, animal and various children's charities.   Amelia also takes care of the school chickens and volunteers in the school garden with the community outreach program called, Unhunger. This program asks school gardens to grow food for the food bank.

As part of her 4H group, she volunteers at the Redwoods, which will host this special award event!  As part of her work with the Redwoods, she walked various animals to the residents including goats, dogs, guinea pigs and more for them to pet!

I am very proud of Amelia's work and dedication.  She is a wonderful student and a treasure to have at Edna Maguire!  Her smile and positive attitude are infectious! 

Amelia and her family will be honored at the Redwoods on April 25th.   The evening event honors outstanding teachers and students from all of our Mill Valley Schools.

Congratulations to Amelia!