Lynbrook Teen Selected as One of Nation's Top 10 Youth Volunteers

Lynbrook South Middle School student Raymond Mohler was honored back in December as the Lynbrook Public Schools Volunteer of the Year in the 2012 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program — but now Mohler has been acknowldged on a much larger scale.

Earlier this week, the 14-year-old was named as one of America's top 10 youth volunteers of 2012.

On top of being awarded a local Prudential Spirit of Community Award in December and a New York State honoree back in February, Mohler was given a national Prudential Spirit of Community Award in a ceremony Monday afternoon at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

According to MarketWatch.com:

Selected from a field of more than 26,000 youth volunteers across the country, Raymond received a personal award of $5,000, an engraved gold medallion, a crystal trophy for her school, and a $5,000 grant from The Prudential Foundation for a nonprofit charitable organization of his choice.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning was on hand for Monday's award ceremony, where the 2012 Super Bowl MVP greeted all of the young volunteers.

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Mohler, also known as 'Little Saint Nick,' and his family founded the Little Saint Nick Foundation in 2003 when he was only 5 years old. He experienced his own medical challenges when he was diagnosed with a rare hip disease at the age of four.

Having to wear braces on both legs for only two years, Mohler felt that he was blessed and decided to give back to the sick children at the hospital who were not as fortunate to be coming home.

Mohler has donated more than $250,000 worth of toys and entertainment centers to various hospitals. He regularly leaves gift bags for sick children when he visits them in hospitals.