Two South Carolina students, Jennifer Pham, 17, of Taylors and Alec Robinovitz, 10, of Mount Pleasant, were honored in the nation's capital last night for their outstanding volunteer work during the presentation of The 2010 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. The two young people - along with 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country - received $1,000 awards as well as personal congratulations from former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Olympic snowboarding champion Seth Wescott at the 15th annual award ceremony and gala dinner reception, held at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

Pham and Robinovitz were named the top high school and middle level youth volunteers in South Carolina last February. In addition to their cash awards, they received engraved silver medallions and an all-expense-paid trip with their parents to Washington, D.C., for this week's recognition events.

Pham, a senior at Wade Hampton High School in Greenville, supervises, entertains, and tutors children at the Greenville Literacy Association (GLA) while their parents attend English or GED classes there. Pham's mother took English classes at the GLA after escaping Vietnam in 1975, so when Pham expressed a desire to give back to her community, her mother suggested the GLA.

Robinovitz, a fifth-grader at East Cooper Montessori Charter School, has collected nearly 6,000 new and gently used books over the past three years for kids being treated at MUSC Children's Hospital. "I thought of this project after waiting at the emergency room with my sister," Robinovitz said. "I noticed there were no books to read. Whenever I am frightened, reading books always helps me feel better." He later learned that many children at the hospital had few books at home, so Robinovitz decided he would collect books, not only to comfort them during their hospital stays, but also to provide them with a book of their own to take home with them.

The first year, Robinovitz e-mailed friends and family members to ask for books, and set up collection boxes in his neighborhood, and at a school where his grandmother teaches. Nine-hundred books arrived. The following year, Robinovitz more than doubled his results by publicizing his campaign in local newspapers and seeking donations from more than 50 publishers. Robinovitz says that each year he will look for ways to increase the number of books he collects, and so now he has recruited his first-grade sister to help. "I guess I learned that one person who tries hard can succeed in making a difference, even when that one person is a kid," he said.

More than 21,000 young people submitted applications for the 2010 awards program last fall through schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and affiliates of the Points of Light Institute's HandsOn Network. The top middle level and high school applicants in each state were selected in February and flown to Washington for special recognition events.

To donate used books contact: jenadam321@gmail.com or simply drop off boxed books labeled "MUSC BOOK DRIVE" at the I'on Tennis and Pool Club in Mount Pleasant.