OAK RIDGE, Tenn. – Oak Ridge High School (ORHS) has been selected as a recipient of Volunteer Tennessee’s Award of Excellence for its commitment to service during the 2021-2022 school year. This is the second consecutive year that the campus has received the prestigious recognition.

“While we recognize that academics are an important part of a student’s education, we also know that it is important for us to give back,” Drayton Hawkins, principal of ORHS, said in his letter of support to the committee. “We have committed our efforts to ensure our students know how to serve others.”

Alison King, school social worker at ORHS, led the year-long effort that culminated in over 62,000 volunteer hours by students.

“I am honored to work at ORHS where serving others is becoming embedded in our school culture,” King said. “I was amazed when I realized exactly how many hours our students had spent serving our school and community, and am proud of the selflessness of the students, staff and student groups that made it possible.”

Representatives from ORHS will be recognized at an awards ceremony and luncheon in Franklin, TN on Tuesday, April 4.

Volunteer Tennessee is the 25-member, bipartisan board appointed by the Governor to oversee AmeriCorps and service-learning programs, advancing volunteerism and citizen service to solve community problems in the Volunteer State. To learn more about the program visit www.VolunteerTennessee.net.