Gwinnett County teen honored for her community service

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Lead by example. That's the motto one Gwinnett County teen uses to help other young people in her community and her drive isn't just being recognized, it's being rewarded. 

Devneet Singh, 17, recently attended the Prudential Spirit of Community Service Awards in Washington, D.C where she was one of two young people from Georgia being honored. She was recognized for her creativity and compassion. 

"I worked with refugees from Bhutan," Singh told FOX 5's Kaitlyn Pratt. 

The teen previously traveled to South Asia and tutored children in math, English and personal hygiene. She also donated books, clothing and supplies. 

"They do not speak English as well," Singh said. "But because they're geographically close to India they speak Hindi, which is the language I speak at home." 

Singh, a senior at the Gwinnett County School of Mathematics, Science and Technology, is also using the language of numbers to help local families tackle taxes. 

"We file taxes for free for low income families, so that really helps them get a lot of money back."

Singh told FOX 5 the relationships she's building fuels her passion.

"Surrounding yourself with people of different strengths will really help you learn from everyone," she said. 

As a reward for her hard work, Singh attended the four-day event, where she met actor and philanthropist Hillary Swank. 

"It was very humbling," Singh said. 

Singh said it's not just about the number of lives that you touch.

"It matters the deepness of your impact on just one life," she said. 

Singh told FOX 5 she wants to go into medicine and she's now considering public health so that she can travel to different countries and broaden her impact. 

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program is the largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer community service. The program applauds young people who are making a positive difference int heir towns and neighborhoods.