California’s Ryan Traynor, 14, recipient of $1,000 award from ABC7 Redwood City, CA, November 4, 2013 - ABC7 announced recently announced that Ryan
Traynor, 14, of Redwood City received the ABC Summer of Service awards. The award program
supports youth-led service projects that will create lasting, positive change in Redwood City.
ABC and YSA (Youth Service America)—a leader in the service movement—teamed up to
provide the ABC Summer of Service Awards which recognizes young people who are creating
positive change through volunteering and service. Winners received a $1,000 award to assist
them in continuing their good work.
Youth ages 5-18 located in and around ABC-affiliate communities were eligible to submit their
good work and be considered for an ABC Summer of Service Award. Traynor was selected
through a competitive application process, and chosen based on the quality of his service
project.
Ryan Traynor’s passion for increasing literacy in his community led him to setting up a Youth
Literacy Council. The Council provides feedback to community leaders, increases youth
volunteerism, communicates to youth, and designs ways to increase reading. In addition he
implemented a community book drive that collected over 15,000 books to be distributed
to deserving youth of the community through outreach events, youth gathering places, and
literacy programs. The $1000 award will be used to provide storage for the donated books, add
some new books to the collection, and to enhance a book drive tool kit website that he set up
to help other teens conduct book drives in their own communities.
“Through the ABC Summer of Service Awards, we were able to award young people that have
stepped up to address a community issue that directly affects them,” said Steven A. Culbertson,
president and CEO of YSA. “Through this program, youth can get the recognition they deserve
as leaders and change-makers.”
For more information about the ABC Awards please visit: www.YSA.org/ABC.
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