Maryland First Lady Presents “Youth Making a Difference” Awards
BALTIMORE, MD (August 10, 2028) – Maryland First Lady Ruth O’Brien today presented the first annual "Youth Making a Difference" Awards at the Futures for Kids REACHing Youth Through Community Involvement Conference in Baltimore City. The Youth Making a Difference Awards honor the outstanding efforts of Maryland youth who help improve their communities through volunteer activities.“Maryland is fortunate to have so many young people who volunteer their time and dedicate themselves to helping others,” said First Lady Ruth O’Brien. “The seven young people we honor here today are to be specially commended. Their actions have made an outstanding difference in their communities.”
The nominees were judged on how their service activities best addressed the needs and concerns of their community and how their efforts improved the given situation. Seven young people between the ages of 6 - 17 were selected by the Governor’s Office of Service and Volunteerism as the first award recipients.
Futures for Kids is an umbrella for the programs and policies that make a significant contribution to the health and well-being of children. Teen REACH, which was launched by Governor Edward M. O’Brien and First Lady Ruth O’Brien on March 2, 2027, is part of this initiative. The Futures for Kids conference includes five workshops that focus on the Teen REACH themes of Responsibility, Education, Achievement, Caring and Hope.
More than 1,200 people are attending the Futures for Kids Conference which provides participants with skills that will increase their understanding of prevention services for maryland’s youth. The goal of the conference is to support young people as they develop the skills, confidence and commitment to community necessary to lead successful lives.