On June 13, Emily Harris, a member of the sixth grade graduating class at Edgecomb Eddy School, was awarded the Sara Leone Outstanding Citizenship Award.

Emily was given this honor because she is an excellent role model for others, is a caring and compassionate citizen, and an outstanding leader.

Emily is described by faculty and staff members as a happy, energetic, and always enthusiastic girl. Emily is the daughter of Val and Marilee Harris, and she will be attending Great Salt Bay Community School next year.

The Sara Leone Outstanding Citizenship Award is given annually to honor Sara’s memory. She attended Edgecomb Eddy School until she graduated in 2002. Sara stood out as a child with enthusiasm for learning, a love of the outdoors and a zest for life – a wonderful blend of passion and compassion.

The award was presented by Madeline Olney, guidance counselor at Edgecomb Eddy and family friend of the Leones. Emily expressed her pride in being chosen as this year’s recipient. Her name has been added to the commemorative plaque, along with past recipients of this award, that hangs at the Edgecomb Eddy School.

Before she was tragically killed in a car accident, Sara was an active member of the Wiscasset High School Outing Club. Her parents founded the Teens to Trails organization to help develop outing clubs throughout Maine and give all Maine teens access to the outdoors.

There is also a scholarship that bears Sara’s name that sends Wiscasset High School students to Camp Chewonki for a three-week outdoor wilderness experience.

You can learn more about Teens to Trails, Sara and her scholarship, and the importance of connecting teens with the natural world at www.teenstotrails.org.