DARON SHARPS

Daron Sharps is the consummate volunteer, participating in a wide variety of activities. Her most significant contribution has been as the initiator, program director, and energy behind the Governor’s Mentoring Program – Teen Trendsetters, at the Yulee Elementary School. She spoke at a local educational conference promoting the Governor’s Teen Trendsetter program.

Even as a teenager, she is the energy behind the annual Crop Walk fund drive at her church. She has done this for several years and the drive is always highly successful. She also participates in a variety of other church related activities. She participates in the local Teen Court program and is active in the Nassau County Young Republicans organization. Designated as community “Florida Bright Futures Scholarship” ambassador, Daron was elected as her school’s student council president.

Her teen trendsetters program started with eight students struggling in reading and has grown to twenty-nine. 78% of the students in the program score at least promotion levels on the FCAT State Assessment. The success of the program was clearly due to her leadership and dedication to the program. She has been noted by name in articles written by the Florida Times-Union and the Fernandina Beach News Leader newspapers. She received the Rayonier Good Citizen award in April 2002 at the Nassau County Volunteer Center’s Annual awards Luncheon, which included a $250 cash award, which she donated to Micah’s place, a domestic abuse shelter. She was designated “Top Fund Raiser” for the Church World Service Crop Walk for fighting world hunger. Received Nassau County’s Teen Court “Outstanding Youth Volunteer” Award. Honored as “Nassau County School System Student Volunteer of the Year.”

Daron has been an outstanding contributor to the spirit of volunteerism on Amelia Island Florida and the community at large. She has been a role model for her fellow teens showing how to humbly commit to a good cause and encourage personal growth in others. The Principal at Yulee Elementary School said that Daron’s character and citizenship far exceeds today’s standard teenage behavior. Her caring for others, kindness to everyone and qualities of leadership and service makes her invaluable to their community.

Daron has volunteered in many capacities since childhood in her community. She was the recipient of the 2002 Rayonier Concerned Good Citizen Award, which is co-sponsored by the Points of Light Foundation Volunteer Center National Network Nassau County Volunteer Center. She is an exemplary representative of youths’ commitment to volunteerism.