Community leaders recognized three local students this week for their efforts to change the world through community service projects.

The awards ceremony was part of Mountain View Reads Together, an annual event calling on residents to read the same book and attend free cultural events centered around that book. This year, organizers picked "Three Cups of Tea," which follows the story of Greg Mortenson as he raises money to build schools in the Middle East in an effort to fight terrorism through education. Mortenson was injured while climbing in Pakistan, and he wanted to help the villagers there who nursed him back to health.

In keeping with the theme of community involvement, last Saturday Youth Services Librarian Karin Bricker awarded three students who she said were also giving back to their communities. Natalie Lillie, a Los Altos sixth grader, received first place in the contest for younger students for writing a book about head lice. At the ceremony, Lillie said she hoped her book, "Natalie's Lice Are Not Nice," would help other students understand that "having lice doesn't make you different."

Akash Nigam, a junior at Mountain View High School, received first place in the high school division for starting a summer camp for underprivileged youth in Mountain View. Over 100 students attended the free camp this year.

Alexander Gonsalves, who worked in a school this summer for mentally challenged students in India, received second place in the high school contest. The sophomore at Mountain View High School is now running a materials drive, and hopes to send books back to the school.

"Young people can dream," Bricker said. "I can't tell you how inspiring it is."

Each winner received a check for their service from Friends of the Library and the Challenge Team, a group of local community leaders which meets once a month to discuss problems facing at-risk youth. They also got a copy of "Three Cups of Tea."

Lillie said she planned to donate some of her prize money to a program for migrant farm workers in Watsonville.

All three students agreed this was the only the beginning, and that they would continue with the community service. Akash, for example, hopes to bring his camp to Sunnyvale this year.

"It was a huge hit last year," he said. "Why not bring it to the whole community."

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