PARADE Announces 2011 All-America Service Team

New York, August 9 — From aiding Haiti earthquake survivors to feeding the hungry in local communities to educating peers about environmental issues, young people across the country are helping to shape their communities — and the world —t hrough service. Fifteen of these young heroes have been named to PARADE’s 2011 All-America Service Team, announced in this Sunday’s issue.

On Aug. 9, the All-America Service Team will be honored at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C., hosted by PARADE and generationOn, the youth service division of Points of Light Institute, along with special guest U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “By helping solve problems and meet needs in communities near and far, students enrich their own lives, strengthen our country, and improve conditions all over the world,” Secretary Duncan tells PARADE.

The following students have been named to the PARADE All-America Service Team:

• Economics – Charlotte Bilski, 17 from Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, N.Y.
• Community – Joe Burgum, 18, from Oak Grove Lutheran School in Fargo, N.D.
• Environment – Jonny Cohen, 16, from Highland Park [Ill.] High School
• Health – Connor Dantzler, 17, from Damascus [Md.] High School
• Health – Evan Ducker, 17, from John A. Coleman High School in Kingston, N.Y.
• Health – Maren Johnson, 16, from Watertown [S.D.] High School
• Economics – Amber Kriech, 16, from Carmel [Ind.] High School
• Economics – Paul Kuligowski, 16, from St. Mary’s Preparatory in Orchard Lake, MI
• Education – Grace Li, 16, from Glenda Dawson High School, in Pearland, TX
• Education – Dylan Mahalingam, 16, from Pinkerton Academy in Derry, N.H.
• Environment – Benjamin McMullen, 17, from West Geauga High School in Chesterland, Ohio
• Environment – Charles Orgbon III, 15, from Mill Creek High School in Hoschton, Ga.
• Education – Mary-Grace Reeves, 16, from Pensacola [Fla.] High School
• Community – Jordan Schwartz, 18, from Atlanta [Ga.] Girls’ School
• Community – Rujul Zaparde, 16, from The Lawrenceville [N.J.] School

Even celebrities are getting in on giving back. Actress and PARADE cover girl Miranda Cosgrove, the star of TV’s iCarly, volunteers with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis and has appeared in a Nickelodeon anti-bullying campaign. “I want to get the message out that everybody can make a difference,” Miranda tells PARADE in this Sunday’s issue. “They tell you to give back because it helps other people, but you also get a lot out of it.”

The All-America Service Team was selected by PARADE magazine in partnership with generationOn. Students were nominated in five categories: economics, the environment, education, community, and health. To see the list of judges, go to generationOn.org.

Check out exclusive video featuring interviews with Miranda Cosgrove and PARADE All-America Service Team members, and go behind the scenes of their photo shoot at Parade.com/service.