Outstanding Teen Award going to FHS’s Tilley
Farragut High School senior and long-time Teen Board of Knoxville member Madelyn Tilley’s volunteer efforts and community service are being honored this weekend.
During the organization’s 64th Annual Presentation and Dance Saturday, Aug. 19, Tilley will receive the Outstanding Teen Award.
“It is given to recognize the Teen Board member who has the most participation in projects and cumulative hours over her four years of service,” explained Tracy Sellars Kiumarsi, Teen Board of Knoxville’s membership and projects coordinator. “Madelyn will be recognized during opening ceremonies.”
Her’s is one of three awards given out, while the community service efforts of 95 high school seniors also will be recognized.
“Though the rest of the year we volunteer, work and donate; this is our one coliseum size social event to celebrate these young people and their volunteer accomplishments,” Kiumarsi said.
Teen Board members volunteer in a variety of ways.
“In the past year, our members have given their time to about 20 charities and their events,” said Kiumarsi, who noted Teen Board of Knoxville currently has about 110 members. “Some of our most recent events include donations to Random Acts of Flowers and the Oncology Unit at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.
“We coordinate volunteers from the Teen Board to benefit KARM with setting up a pumpkin patch in early October. In December, we bring friends and family along with us to lay wreaths on the Veteran’s graves at the Wreaths Across America event. Each November we provide about 60 volunteers for the Fantasy of Trees, which is the big fundraiser for East Tennessee Children’s Hospital.”
“We require members to volunteer 50 hours per year of service,” she added. “During the year surrounding COVID, we had the members make cards for all holidays at home, and nominated volunteers to take them to their choice of assisted living and nursing care facilities to drop off to give to the residents. This is a project we have continued because we have received such positive feedback from so many.”
Additionally, Teen Board members attend monthly meetings and pay annual dues.
Tilley, the daughter of Derrick and Ronica Tilley of Farragut, followed her older sister, Macy, onto Teen Board. She said she has enjoyed working on various service projects, most especially “Wreaths Across America,” working with ETCH and making and distributing holiday cards for veterans and nursing home residents.
“I have really liked helping and volunteering in the community,” she added. “We also hosted a mother-daughter Princess Party this past year at the Teen Center, and that was a lot of fun.”
Tilley was selected by her peers as co-chairman of the senior officers on Teen Board.
She is dually enrolled at FHS and Pellissippi State Community College and plans to graduate from high school in December.
“I am looking forward to maybe working full time or finding an internship while I am waiting to start at University of Tennessee next fall,” she said, noting she will likely be pursuing a career in the medical field.
She has worked part-time at Summer Moon Coffee Shop, since it opened last year.
“I am very thankful for this place,” she said of her job site. “I thought as a child I would love to work at a coffee shop, and I really have ... wonderful owners and co-workers.”
Tilley also has a younger brother, Maverick, and is close to her grandmother, Elayne Buffington Smith.
