Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, February 13, 1995                   TAG: 9502150014
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: NANCY GLEINER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

A PAT ON THE BACK TO:

Age: 17

School: Franklin County High School, Rocky Mount

Year: Senior

What she does: About five years ago, Margaret began volunteering with the National Park Service at Booker T. Washington National Monument in Hardy. During the past year, she contributed the most hours of any of the park's volunteers, including 40-hour weeks during the summer.

Margaret serves both the administrative and interpretive divisions at the park. Her duties can range from entering names into the computerized mailing list to cleaning the slave cabins in the historic area.

At the visitor center, she greets people, takes phone calls, gives out information, and she says, ``if I can't answer a question, I'll find someone who can.''

She has represented the park service at community events such as the Henry Street Festival and assists with special programs. Margaret also works in the Eastern National Bookstore at the monument and sometimes participates in living history demonstrations.

``During the summer, Margaret sometimes worked all day doing `grunt work,' '' said Ellie Long, administrative officer. ``She also did some massive projects for us. I'm impressed that she would do a 40-hour work week on a volunteer basis.

``Her phone attitude and demeanor are competent enough that we can allow her to handle phone calls and deal with a variety of people.''

``Margaret has gone well beyond her scope of responsibility and her age to consistently provide the Park Service with support on many levels. The time that she has donated has been invaluable to us,'' said Park Superintendent William Gwaltney, who nominated her.

``Margaret's outgoing personality and interpersonal skills have really developed here,'' said Alice Hanawalt, volunteer coordinator. ``When she's assigned a task, you know she's going to complete it. And when she's done, she lets you know and asks for something else to do. ...

``Margaret's not intimidated by anyone and can talk to people of all ages and races. And she's always willing to try something new. `I don't know anything about it,' she'll say, `but if you teach me, I'll be willing to do it.' ''

What she's learned: ``The best thing about being with the park service is the good people I've worked with and meeting new people,'' Margaret said. ``This is better than getting money. You get a lot out of it and make new friends. You begin to come out of your shell.

``I'm hitting the books more now, too,'' she said. ``People here gave me an extra push and fussed at me when I got bad grades.

``I've learned that I have more good qualities than what I thought. I'm a hard worker. I can basically do anything if I set my mind to it. I didn't think so before.''

``Margaret understands now that rewards come from hard work. Life is not handed to anyone on a platter,'' said Hanawalt.

Future plans: ``I hope to get into college. I'm thinking about child care for the early years. The older ones are kind of bumpy.''

Extra Credit nominees must be 12-18 and volunteering of their own choice. If part of a group, the teen must have initiated the activity.

Send in the teen's name, age, phone number, what they're doing, for how long, and how it has helped someone else. Include your name and phone. Mail nominations to Extra Credit, c/o Features Department, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010

This twice-monthly column spotlights a teen-ager who is using his or her own initiative to make a difference in our neighborhoods, schools and communities. We think they deserve a public thank-you for helping other people. Nominations are sent in by our readers (see guidelines below).