Teen honored for volunteer work

By Cassie Tomlin

Thursday, March 5, 2009 | 2 a.m.

For Daniel Edmondson, giving away his free time is an easy decision.

The Boulder City High School junior said in middle school, instead of idly waiting after school for his mother, who was the school's psychologist, he took to tutoring and recycling programs.

Now 16, Edmondson organizes others to do the same through Teens Actively Contributing, or TAC, a service group he started for kids from 13 to 19.

Edmondson, for the second time, has won the Prudential Spirit of Community Award, a nationwide, bank-sponsored program honoring young people for volunteerism. The award every year recognizes one high school student and one middle school student from every state and Washington, D.C.

Edmondson won the award when he was in middle school. This year, Nicolas Paris of Silvestri Junior High School in Silverado Ranch won.

In May, the two will travel to the nation's capital to join the other delegates for ceremonies, where 10 of them will be named Prudential's top young volunteers. Edmonson and Paris will also each receive $1,000.

On Saturday, Edmondson led about 15 TAC volunteers to pick up trash at the Boulder City Airport.

Edmondson, who also runs cross-country and track and is a member of the National Honor Society and Interact club, said TAC is like a "search engine for volunteering.

"There are all these really cool opportunities for volunteering — things outside of school that people would enjoy doing," he said.

Edmondson recruited teenagers all over Boulder City and made sure the city, the Chamber of Commerce, the hospital, the library and the National Park Service know the group is there.

This month, TAC will hold a book drive for Spread the Word Nevada, a nonprofit literacy program that distributes books to children through elementary schools. The group will distribute boxes around town for people to donate children's books, Edmondson said. If the local drive brings enough books in Spanish, TAC will send them to a school in Mexico that is sponsored by the Boulder City Sunrise Rotary Club.

The National Honor Society is also collecting prom dresses to donate to girls who need them, Edmondson said. For more information, contact Ms. Ringen or Ms. Muir at Boulder City High School, 799-8200.

Cassie Tomlin can be reached at 948-2073 or [email protected].