The Kiwanis Club of Port Townsend recently awarded the Thomas J. Majhan Teen Leaders Award to 12 teens for their service in 2016.

Keith Harper, county Superior Court judge, and a longtime colleague of the late Judge Thomas J. Majhan, in whose name the awards are presented, served as the keynote speaker.

“I’m so thrilled with each of our 12 recipients,” said Melanie Bozak, chair and the creator of the awards program. “Each year, it’s so impressive to hear all the community service work being performed in our communities by our local youth.”

The 2016 recipients are:

Erik Hansen, son of Cindy and Keith Hansen of Port Townsend, and nominated by Erik and Libby Wennstrom, Salish Rescue.

Isabelle and Whitney Hill, daughters of Brenda and Michael Hill of Port Ludlow; nominated by Dana Nixon, Building Futures, Jefferson County Family YMCA.

Shauna Lynch, daughter of Lisa Lynch and Troy McKelvey of Port Townsend; nominated by Amy Howard, The Boiler Room.

Rowan Lynn, son of Jeannette and Ron Lynn of Port Townsend; nominated by Norm Stevens, Port Townsend Boy Scout Troop 1479.

Nicholas Massie, son of Samantha and Dusty Massie of Port Townsend; nominated by Meg Crosby, Port Townsend Food Bank.

Akwe McDaniels, daughter of Marsha Davis-McDaniels and Matteo McDaniels of Port Townsend; nominated by Dana Nixon, Building Futures, Jefferson County Family YMCA.

Amy Plastow, daughter of TJ and David Plastow of Port Ludlow; nominated by Linda Kostenbader, East Jefferson Rotary Interact Club.

Kathryn Smith, daughter of Christina and Aaron Tinling and Michael and Leah Smith of Port Townsend; nominated by Devon Rouch, Chimacum High School.

Lauren Taracka, daughter of Heather and Richard Taracka of Port Townsend; nominated by Tanya Barnett, 4-H, WSU Extension.

Davis Tyler, son of Karen Obermeyer and Matt Tyler of Port Townsend; nominated by Kristofer Day, The ReCyclery.

Seamus Waibel, son of Melissa Love of Port Townsend; nominated by Melissa Love and Erik Wennstrom, Salish Rescue.

The 14th annual awards ceremony and reception was held at the Port Townsend Elks Club.

In addition to Bozak, the 2016 Teen Leaders Awards committee consisted of David Crozier, Marge Helander, Anne Metcalf and Louise Raymond, with help from 12 other committee members.

Teens annually selected for the award must be residents of Jefferson County between the ages of 14 and 18 and nominated by a community member for a combination of outstanding leadership and community service excellence. Requests for nominations are published in January each year.

The Kiwanis Teen Leaders Awards program was established in 2004 to honor local teens for outstanding leadership and community service excellence for the prior year who are nominated by organizations and members of the public. The awards are named in honor of Majhan, a former Superior and District Court judge who died as the awards were being created.