At the age of 18 and with few words Kent Sparks was able to sum up the spirit of community service: “I've always known to help people out and share the blessings you have," Sparks said in 2007. Helping others is rewarding even if no one else knows about it, he said. “It’s just the feeling you get inside."

It’s that attitude of service that AnnArbor.com seeks to honor with the 2010 Young Citizen of the Year Award. We’re accepting nominations through March 22.

The award was created by The Ann Arbor News in 1998. After The News closed last year, AnnArbor.com announced that the new company would continue recognizing the service and leadership of young people in our community.

“We're very pleased at AnnArbor.com that we're able to continue this tradition of honoring the incredible youth that we're so fortunate to have in this area,” said Laurel Champion, AnnArbor.com executive vice president.

Sparks, who won the Young Citizen of the Year award in 2007, continues to serve the community. He’s now a member of the Whitmore Lake school board. To nominate a young person you know for this year’s award, fill out the form below. Nominees must be high school students living in Washtenaw County.

The winner and nine finalists for this year’s award will be announced in May.

The winner receives a $2,000 scholarship from AnnArbor.com. Finalists receive $1,000 scholarships from the Robert Bruce Dunlap Fund of the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. A nomination form will also be published periodically in the print edition of AnnArbor.com. Today, you can find that form on page A15.

AnnArbor.com will accept nominations for Citizen of the Year in May.