Sonoma teens win prestigious public service award

Alexandra Carlson and Melissa Carlson, as with most twins, like to do things together. Number one on a busy to-do list for the Sonoma Valley High School seniors: save the planet.
For their volunteer work inspiring youth to be more involved in environmental issue, the pair has been honored with a 2009 Jefferson Award, the county’s highest public service honor. The award will be presented at the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, March 24, at 8:30 a.m.
The Board of Supervisors makes five Jefferson Awards selections every year. Becoming Independent, a Santa Rosa-based non-profit with a location in Sonoma, was also honored. It provides a pathway to independence and personal fulfillment for women, men, and children with developmental disabilities in Sonoma County.
“We just wanted to thank you all so much from the bottom of our hearts for all the support and encouragement,” the Carlson teens said in a statement to the community. “You have all been our brightest inspiration and greatest role models. You have individually empowered each of us to reach for the stars and to be an integral part of the wonderful tapestry of our Sonoma community and beyond.“
In announcing the award, the Board cited the Carlsons’ “demonstrating youth leadership in the community by addressing the need for youth to be more involved, educated, inspired and engaged with their local ecology and to help with the preservation and conservation of their environment.”
The county honorees will now be considered for awards at the regional and national level. The Jefferson Awards Program is a national recognition system designed to highlight public service in America.