Volunteer Recognition Programs
Governor and First Lady's Service Award
The Governor and First Lady's Service Award honors children ages 5-14 who complete 25 hours of community service in a 12-month period. Children receiving the honor receive a personalized certificate from the Governor and First Lady. In addition, children are encouraged to keep serving to earn a President's Volunteer Service Award (a minimum of 50 hours).
Children must complete their 25 hours of service with a certifying organization. To identify a certifying organization in your community, please visit the Governor and First Lady's Service Award website.
If you a community organization that is interested in becoming a certifying organization, please visit the Governor and First Lady's Service Award website for application materials. After completing a short application, you will be given access to an on-line account allowing you to track volunteers hours and order both the Governor and First Lady's Service Awards and the President's Volunteer Service Award.
If you have further questions regarding the Governor and First Lady's Service Award, please contact us at serviceaward@CaliforniaVolunteers.ca.gov.
Youth Service Awards/Recognition
Do Something
The Do Something Award honors youth who display leadership in working with Do Something, a nationwide youth network, to improve their communities. Up to five young people receive the award annually. Recipients are recognized at a national ceremony and receive a $5,000 grant to continue their service.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
Youth in grades 5-12 who have participated in a volunteer activity within the past 12 months are eligible to apply for this award, which recognizes students in middle and high school who have demonstrated exceptional community service. The application must be completed and submitted to a designated advisor by the last weekday in October. Applicants are eligible to receive recognition at the local, state, and national levels.
National Caring Award for Young Adults
The Caring Institute annually recognizes five youth (12th grade and below) with an award and an education scholarship for their dedication to helping others. Recipients demonstrate a commitment to service and to improving society. Nomination forms can be found online and are accepted from the beginning of the school year through March.
The Congressional Award
Sponsored by the United States Congress, this award is designed to honor young Americans 14-23 years old who excel in volunteer public service, personal development, physical fitness, and expeditions. This award, unlike others, which honor past accomplishments, challenges youth to achieve goals they have set for themselves.
The Howard R. Swearer Student Humanitarian Award
Sponsored by Campus Compact, an organization founded to promote the incorporation of service into academia, this award is presented to five or six students from campus chapters throughout the country. Member campus presidents nominate one student who is committed to both service and academics. Recipients receive an award and $1,500 to support a service program of their choice.
The American Citizenship Award
This award is bestowed upon students in elementary, middle, or high school by their school principal. It is designed to recognize students who display respect, exhibit fairness, who are eager to help others, and who generally exhibit behavior consistent with good citizenship. American Citizenship Award pins may be ordered online.
Adult Service Awards/Recognition
President's Volunteer Service Award
The President's Volunteer Service Award recognizes youth and adults who make a difference in their community through community service. Gold, silver, and bronze levels of recognition are available based on the number of service hours completed. In addition, the Lifetime Service Award is available to those who complete 4,000 hours of service over their lifetime.
Daily Point of Light Award
Sponsored by the Points of Light Foundation, this award is designed to recognize individuals, organizations, groups, families, business, or labor unions for their service either at home or abroad. Recipients are recognized for responding to a community need, making a significant impact, and approaching the problem with innovation and dedication.
AmeriCorps Education Awards
AmeriCorps members receive an education award following the completion of their term of service. Full-time AmeriCorps members (those that commit a year of their life to full-time service) receive an education award of $4,275. Part-time members are eligible to receive prorated education awards based on the number of hours they serve. Education awards can be redeemed up to seven years from the completion of the term of service and can be used to pay for any combination of the costs of: (1) attendance at a qualified institution of higher education; (2) approved school-to-work programs; or, (3) repaying qualified student loans. In addition, AmeriCorps members who have outstanding qualified student loans may be eligible for forbearance on their loan payments. For more information regarding AmeriCorps education awards, please visit the Corporation for National and Community Service's AmeriCorps website.
The Jefferson Awards
Sponsored by the American Institute for Public Service, the Jefferson Awards are presented at both the local and national levels. Local recipients serve their communities selflessly and without reward, while the service of the four national recipients has been recognized and appreciated nationwide. Nominations may be submitted online.
The Thomas Ehrlich Faculty Award for Service-Learning
Recipients are full-time faculty members who are nominated by the Campus Compact president at their institution. The award recognizes an educator who blends academic study with community and public service experience. The recipient must actively promote service-learning on his campus, and must have published research related to service-learning.