Youth Service Utah Awards honor youth who have performed outstanding service in their communities and are making a positive impact in their local areas.

For more information or to nominate a youth volunteer please contact the Utah Commission on Volunteers at 1-888-755-UTAH (Toll-free in Utah) or 1-801-538-8700 (Outside of Utah) or Download the nomination form.

2007 Winner

Chloe Dauwalder

Chloe is a young lady who wants to help save the lives of her fellow drivers in bad weather and poor visibility.  Her efforts to require car lights on when using windshield wipers are about to be realized in a new law. Chloe did significant research in developing her case for a law requiring headlights to be on in inclement weather. With the help of Representative John Dougall she presented the problem to the Utah Legislature. Chloe’s motto is “Wipe, Shine and Go” Remember; if you use your wipers, turn on your lights!

Past Winners

2006 Winner

VICTORIA KOCHANEK

Victoria Kochanek, 17 years old, has been an active volunteer with the National Ability Center, a facility dedicated to enabling persons with disabilities of all kinds to be able, since March of 2005.  She has logged over 435 hours, serving in three different programs 5-6 hours a week in the winter and 15 hours a week in the summer.  She teaches and assists with lessons in horseback riding, swimming, sled hockey, indoor climbing and outdoor education.  She does outreach and office tasks as well as special events such as community Wide Open House with face painting; decorating the award winning float for the Park City Fourth of July Parade; coordinated ‘special stars’  a singing troop of young participants with disabilities for their performance at A Starry Night, the National Ability Centers major fundraiser in September.

            Her sports program commitment shows dedication and responsibility to our disabled community.  Victoria assists the professional horseback riding instructor, teaching grooming and horse care, by lead walking or side-walking with the lesson.  She provides overnight support to the Program Manager during outdoor education trips, she assists with independent living skills including cooking, cleaning and leaving no trace at a campsite; guided hikes in the Uintah Mountains and star gazing activities.  She belays for young climbers and assists with the adaptive equipment necessary for the sled hockey program.  She has become a fully assertive swim instructor, working full time with confidence and independently teaches lessons four days a week, three hours a day all summer.  She utilizes her own creative lesson plans and is truly an asset to the program which would not have been able to run without her this past summer and winter. 

            She is adored by the young people she works with and bonds with her students.  They light up when they see her in public which is significant for people with developmental disabilities such as autism.  She is also learning sign language to be able to communicate with one of her hearing impaired students.   Through her service, she is now considering  the pursuit of a degree in a related field in order to serve people with disabilities.