Hayley Munford, a New Bloomfield high school senior, has won a statewide Missouri Outstanding Citizenship Award.
"I was honored to have been nominated to represent New Bloomfield High School in the competition," Munford said. "To be one of only 16 students in Missouri to receive the award is awesome."
Munford said she was nominated for the award by Diane Pohlman, a New Bloomfield government and history teacher.
Munford received the honor at a recent awards luncheon in Jefferson City. She received a plaque and a certificate from the Missouri State Board of Education and the Missouri Bar Association.
Chris L. Nicastro, Missouri commissioner of education, said the award presented to Munford recognizes Missouri students who exemplify the qualities of great citizenship.
Active in school organizations, Munford is treasurer of the New Bloomfield High School Honor Society, president of the New Bloomfield High School Future Business Leaders of America, and secretary of the Fulton High School Student Council. She served four years as a member of the school's softball team and was the school's softball manager.
Munford also is the current Agriculture Class president and is a member of the school's Future Farmers of America chapter. She serves as an assistant to the Senior Class advisor.
In addition to winning the statewide citizenship award, Munford also won the Fulton Optimist Club Citizenship Award. Â
Munford is active in various Baptist church organizations in Guthrie and Mexico.
She organized a fundraising effort to assist a New Bloomfield resident suffering from terminal pancreatic cancer. "It helped her before she died," Munford said.
Munford helped organize the New Bloomfield Fall Festival. She also volunteered as church community service member and childcare volunteer. She is an elementary school tutor volunteer.
In her winning statewide citizenship award essay, Munford said the United States is stronger by having committed citizens dedicated to serving others and practicing good citizenship.
 "Citizenship," Munford wrote, "is practiced and not taken for granted."