Sarah Pratt, a Hope College junior from Traverse City, has received an Outstanding Student Service Award from the Michigan Campus Compact (MCC).
Pratt received a "Commitment to Service" award from MCC during a recognition ceremony on Saturday, April 8, at the Kellogg Center at Michigan State University in East Lansing.
MCC is a state-level non-profit organization that promotes the education and commitment of Michigan college students to be civically engaged citizens, through creating and expanding academic, co-curricular and campus-wide opportunities for community service, service-learning and civic engagement.
The "Commitment to Service Awards" are among three types of awards that MCC presents annually to students from colleges and universities across the state. The "Commitment to Service Award" honors students for their community service at individual college and university campuses as part of their education throughout their college career, with a single student from each MCC-member institution selected as a recipient annually. A total of 24 students were honored with "Commitment to Service Awards" this year.
Pratt is the student director of the Office of Volunteer Services at Hope. Her work includes planning and participating in monthly service events with area organizations such as the Holland Rescue Mission, Boys and Girls Club and Resthaven Care Community. She has made cooperating with the City of Holland a priority, and in particular has emphasized partnership with the City of Holland's Parks and Recreation Department, volunteering at events such as the Holland Young Professionals Chili Cookoff and raising money for the Children's Advocacy Center and the Culinary Cabaret that raised funds for the Holland Community Health Center.
Her activities have also included serving as a coach for Girls on the Run through the Center for Women in Transition; helping to lead "Pulling for Hope," the college's response to Hurricane Katrina; and participating in the student-coordinated Dance Marathon held on behalf of DeVos Children's Hospital. Earlier this month, she coordinated Volunteer Services' annual effort to provide Easter baskets for the 120 children served by the Children's After Service Achievement (CASA) program based at Hope.
Pratt is the daughter of Chris and Judy Pratt of Traverse City, and is a 2003 graduate of Traverse City Central High School.