Congratulations to senior Emily Sumlin who was selected as one of 11 finalists from Metro Atlanta to receive the Woodrow Wilson Community Service Award. This award, presented by The Princeton Club of Georgia, honors high schoolers who, through community involvement and personal initiative, best exemplify the ideals of service and volunteerism espoused by Woodrow Wilson, former President of the United States of America and of Princeton University. The award was presented to Emily on Wednesday, October 21, in a ceremony with Governor Nathan Deal which was held at the south steps of the Georgia State Capitol. The Princeton Club of Georgia also presented an award to Whitefield Academy as one of the recipient schools. Jessica Bonnem, English teacher and Emily’s advisor, accepted the award on behalf of Whitefield.
Emily was nominated by Adrienne Gilbert (Whitefield’s former college counselor) and was recommended based on her community service on local and international levels. She has been involved with Metro Atlanta Project for over four years. Metro Atlanta Project is a nonprofit organization through Northside United Methodist Church that provides home repair assistance to inner-city families in Atlanta. This past summer, Emily served with the organization as an intern and a project site manager.
In addition to her service with Metro Atlanta Project, Emily has traveled with fellow Whitefield students to Guatemala for the past three summers to work with the Guatemala Medical Missions Team. The
Whitefield team travels to remote villages to assist in medical clinics, lead faith-sharing stations, and visit orphanages. Emily also participates in Northside Methodist’s annual youth choir tour, traveling each summer to perform in senior homes and churches across the United States.
At Whitefield, Emily serves on the Honor Council, as a peer tutor, and a senior mentor. Emily received the Ephesians Award for her dedication to community service in both her 10th and 11th grade years. She is also an active member of the Whitefield Dramatic Society and has appeared in multiple school productions including The Wiz, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bye Bye Birdie, Hello Dolly!, Our Town, Almost, Maine, and Comic Book Artist.