This is light-duty, seasonal, fun, and personally rewarding.

The Yale Book Award is given to high school juniors, selected by thier guidance counselors, in conjunction with the History &/or English Departments. We generally ask for the "best all-round" student in the area of literature and history, as the book given is a leather-bound "The Yale Shakespeare."

The AYA office sends us a self-adherent placard which proclaims "Presented by The Triangle Yale Club to So and So of Such and Such High School For Outstanding Personal Character and Intellectual Promise on...date." Each volunteer should become familiar with one high school (close to their work or home), find the Junior class counselor(s) and explain the gift and the qualities which we wish to incentivize by the selection of the recipient. When apprised of the name of the awardee and the Awards Day date, one should make arrangements to be present, and to let me know so I can get an "engraved" book to them. The Yale volunteer will have to pay TYC (charitable deduction) the $25 cost of the book.

    All this is a great deal of fun and puts the volunteer back in touch with the youth of NC. We are heartened by the numbers of students getting prizes and proud to see old Eli stand tall at the various schools where we have been presenting recently (17 LAST YEAR).

Call Book Award Chairman Vertrees Hollingsworth in Pinehurst, home 910/215-9612, cell 910/603-1803

The award this year is The Yale Shakespeare, the complete works of William Shakespeare in a spectacular leather binding. Following are the winners in 2007, now seniors in their respective schools.

Laura Medlin, Saint Mary's School, Raleigh

Josh Wolonick, The O’Neal School, Pinehurst

Maegan Williams, North Moore High School, Robbins

Glen McLaurin, Southeast Raleigh, Garner

Leah Elliott, Pincrest High School, Pinehurst

Ashley Thompson, Union Pines High School, Cameron

Shaunak Varma, Rocky Mount Academy, Rocky Mount

Douglas Onuscheck, Ravenscroft School, Raleigh

Stroud, Raleigh Charter High School, Wake Forest

Lindsey Rupp, Jordan High School, Durham

Claire McCusker, East Chapel Hill High School, Chapel Hill

John Lyon III, Hillside High School, Durham

Alice Yen, Enloe High School, Raleigh

Drew Rothenberg, Broughton High School, Cary

Grace Haaland, Chapel Hill High School, Chapel Hill