Awards celebrate teen volunteers

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards was created in 1995 to celebrate young people for their volunteer service. The program is the largest to recognize middle and high school students for their volunteerism from the local to national levels. In the more than 20 years since the awards began, more than 115,000 young people have been recognized.

Illinois Top Teen Volunteer Winner, Nicolas Ramkumar, an 8th grader at University of Illinois High School, has raised nearly $10,000 over the past two years to buy computers for his school. He hopes to give every student their own laptop to use in school and at home. Ramkumar also organized a shore drive when he was in 4th grade that collected 300 pairs of shoes for people in need. He knocked on doors to seek donations for earthquake victims in Haiti. In addition, he has planted "pollinator-friendly" gardens at home, and at a school and a church.

Nicolas Ramkumar visited Eyewitness News to talk about the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards and what volunteerism can do for the community.