Michelle Casey, a ninth-grader at South Whidbey High School, received an award from the Washington Commission for National and Community Services for her outstanding volunteer service in support of her peers and school.

Gov. Christine Gregoire presented the award to Casey in a ceremony kicking off National Volunteer Week at the governor’s mansion on April 19. She was also a special guest of the Seattle Mariners and recognized by the team at its Salute to Volunteers Night on April 20.

Victoria Santos, the Learn and Serve Coordinator for the South Whidbey School District, nominated Casey for the award and wrote that she “is a natural born teacher and humanitarian.” Santos said the student would often be the first to volunteer to learn a new program in order to teach her peers, stay after school to make posters, work on a project or clean the school. And though she graduated from middle school last year, every Tuesday afternoon she returns to mentor Langley Middle School students.

Michelle is the daughter of Kathy Casey of Clinton and Robert Thedens of Kirkland, both of whom graduated from South Whidbey High School, and is the granddaughter of Ken and Mary Casey of Coupeville.