CSA Finalist: Meagan Whitworth
By: KARK 4 News
Updated: January 25, 2012
A Saline County girl is the latest nominee for a KARK 4 Community Service Award.
Meagan Whitworth, of Bryant, is nominated in the youth humanitarian category. She's a mid-term graduate who has served in her school and church.
Whitworth attended Bryant High School, the pilot school for a new program sponsored by the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (R.S.V.P.) of Central Arkansas.
"We have our youth program above, beyond, and serve, and I have several wonderful volunteers," says Lisa Strain, with R.S.V.P.
Whitworth has used the program to help her graduate early.
"We go through the schools and these kids commit to working so many hours per school year, and once they do that the schools commit to give them one credit toward graduation," explains Strain.
"The hours I got after I got my hundred hours are going toward scholarships, and so if I get more hours, then I get scholarship money. That would be good," Whitworth says.
A lot of those hours were spent assisting Marilyn Thweatt, the principal's secretary.
"I trusted Meagan to answer the phone, or answer the intercom, or if I had to leave or go back to the mailroom to copy something, I would tell Meagan, you know, if someone comes in you, she could do that," Thweatt says.
Meagen is very active in her church, Southern Baptist of Bryant.
"My mom is the pre-school director and so I will volunteer for her. I volunteer through my high school ministry and the children's ministry," explains Whitworth..
"Whatever needs to be done, she'll do it with a smile on her face, and she affects her peers because they, it's a contagious kind of a spirit," says Jordan Malone, Children's Ministry Associate.
Meagen used her extra credits to graduate at midterm, and she has a plan.
"I have applied for a one-year program at Baptist school to become a Surgical Tech., so if I do that I will start in July and will graduate next May," she says, adding that "If you set a goal then you're more likely to strive toward that goal and to achieve it, but if you don't set a goal then you just tell yourself you're going to do it, but you never do."
Meagan has her life of service planned, including a career of helping others through the medical field.
Meagan Whitworth, of Bryant, is nominated in the youth humanitarian category. She's a mid-term graduate who has served in her school and church.
Whitworth attended Bryant High School, the pilot school for a new program sponsored by the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (R.S.V.P.) of Central Arkansas.
"We have our youth program above, beyond, and serve, and I have several wonderful volunteers," says Lisa Strain, with R.S.V.P.
Whitworth has used the program to help her graduate early.
"We go through the schools and these kids commit to working so many hours per school year, and once they do that the schools commit to give them one credit toward graduation," explains Strain.
"The hours I got after I got my hundred hours are going toward scholarships, and so if I get more hours, then I get scholarship money. That would be good," Whitworth says.
A lot of those hours were spent assisting Marilyn Thweatt, the principal's secretary.
"I trusted Meagan to answer the phone, or answer the intercom, or if I had to leave or go back to the mailroom to copy something, I would tell Meagan, you know, if someone comes in you, she could do that," Thweatt says.
Meagen is very active in her church, Southern Baptist of Bryant.
"My mom is the pre-school director and so I will volunteer for her. I volunteer through my high school ministry and the children's ministry," explains Whitworth..
"Whatever needs to be done, she'll do it with a smile on her face, and she affects her peers because they, it's a contagious kind of a spirit," says Jordan Malone, Children's Ministry Associate.
Meagen used her extra credits to graduate at midterm, and she has a plan.
"I have applied for a one-year program at Baptist school to become a Surgical Tech., so if I do that I will start in July and will graduate next May," she says, adding that "If you set a goal then you're more likely to strive toward that goal and to achieve it, but if you don't set a goal then you just tell yourself you're going to do it, but you never do."
Meagan has her life of service planned, including a career of helping others through the medical field.
