West Hall High School junior Katie Sheppard has a reason to celebrate.

Selected as the very first Youth Citizenship Award winner, Katie will receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., as a Youth Tour delegate, a $500 college scholarship and a $1,000 grant to distribute to the charity of her choice. The daughter of Pat and Randy Sheppard in Oakwood, Katie competed against four other outstanding finalists for the award.

Katie says volunteerism can have a tremendous impact on society. "I believe having the opportunity to make your community better by doing little things makes you feel good about yourself, and a lot of little things add up to one good thing - a better world."

Katie is very active in a number of organizations, which include the Northeast Georgia Medical Center, Sand Lot Camp, Hall County 4-H, Girl Scouts of Northeast Georgia, Health Occupational Students of America, Special Olympics and West Hall High Student Council.

Katie's worthy competitors make extraordinary contributions to the organizations they serve, which made competition and the final selection process very tough. All students are to be commended for their commitment to making their communities better places to live.

As a strong supporter of education and the communities we serve, Jackson EMC congratulates the more than 70 applicants who submitted applications for the Youth Citizenship Award. Randall Pugh, Jackson EMC president/CEO, says this competition sheds light on our youth who have already achieved an extensive amount of community involvement. "Our cooperative adheres to the Seven Cooperative Principles, one being Community Involvement. It is encouraging to know that the finalists and all participants are giving hundreds of hours of their free time to a community organization they believe in. That is truly the cooperative way in action."

Youth Citizenship Award Finalists

Kaushal Amin Duluth High School	Lauren Maddux Dacula High School	Tirrany Thurmond Winder-Barrow High School	Saima Zuberi Duluth High School