Valerie Geniesse is a 14-year-old Junior Volunteer who started working at Lakeland Nursing Home on June 18, 1998. In the past 18 months preceding the submission of her nomination for this award, she had logged over 155 volunteer hours. She is very independent and takes much initiative when volunteering. Valerie deserves special recognition for her ability to motivate her friends and classmates to volunteer at Lakeland Nursing Home as well. To date, she has organized her Student Council to assist in several special events and has recruited ten friends to become registered volunteers.  Valerie spends the majority of her time at Lakeland as a friendly visitor writing letters, polishing nails and making residents feel special with her ability to express herself and her feelings for them. She has taught several residents some basic computer skills such as using e-mail and surfing the Internet. With her school’s Student Council, she has planted flowers, sponsored a Bingo party, brought pets in to visit with residents, and assisted with fundraisers such as “Breakfast with Santa.”