A Lake Station teen is among several people from around Indiana whose volunteer work and activism in their communities was recognized by the state through its Awards for Excellence.
The awards, presented by Serve Indiana, a division of the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, were handed out Nov. 8 at the annual awards ceremony at the Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis.
Abigail Naumann won the youth category award. She is a 15-year-old sophomore at Thomas A. Edison Jr.-Sr. High School in Lake Station near Portage.
Naumann has been active in volunteer organizations since the seventh grade. Her accomplishments include serving as class president the past two years, and president and vice president of her school’s Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) chapter.
Naumann also is the founder of her own organization, Abby's Step by Step North West Indiana, which raises awareness to end gun violence, and is founder of the not-for-profit The Eagle Foundation, which assists her school's needs to help it be successful in the community.
Other winners were and the categories they were recognized in:
- Starbucks/Starbucks Foundation, corporate volunteer
- Indiana Department of Revenue, government entity
- Katie Sutton, national service member
- University of Southern Indiana, volunteer program
- Stephen Long, volunteerism
- Neil Winn, lifetime achievement
Additional information on the other award winners is available on Serve Indiana’s website.
Serve Indiana seeks to advance service and volunteerism by informing, connecting and promoting opportunities and resources that enrich the lives of Hoosiers.
