The Joint Base Lewis-McChord Youth Volunteer of the Year award is bestowed upon a youth who has gone above and beyond - giving to others without asking for anything in return.

After logging hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteer hours with her family, it was no surprise that Lakes High School senior Michaela Rehm received the honor.

But it was a surprise to her. Although she was aware she had been nominated, Rehm said it was a big surprise when she heard her named called during the JBLM Volunteer of the Year luncheon on April 26.

"Since I was a little girl, my parents taught me to think outside myself and to help others," said Rehm. She has grown up living by that life lesson.  Rehm is the daughter of Sgt. Albert Terialles of the 47th Combat Support Hospital at JBLM, Andrea Terialles and Michael Rehm. 

Along with her family, Rehm has volunteered time planning food drives, working Family Readiness Group food booths, gift wrapping during the holidays, and working with the Christian Youth in Action and vacation bible school at JBLM.

Even with a busy volunteer schedule, Rehm has maintained a 4.0 grade point average since she was in seventh-grade. She made sacrifices, she said, when it came to socializing with friends or watching television.

During high school, Rehm was also a member of the varsity cross country team, president of the National Honor Society and was nominated for Daffodil Princess. She was honored at a Lakewood City Council meeting last month for academic distinction.

Earlier this year, however, life took an unexpected turn when Rehm suffered a minor brain injury after sustaining a fall and hitting her head. It was difficult for her to attend school because she was unable to be in a school setting for more than three hours a day while recovering. The Lakes High teachers and the Clover Park School District have been accommodating during her recovery, however, and Rehm will graduate with her class on June 18.

In addition to being named the JBLM Youth Volunteer of the Year, Rehm is also the recipient of eight scholarships, including the Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship, for which she was nominated by an administrator at her school.

After graduation, Rehm plans to attend Seattle Pacific University to study neuroscience. She had applied for and been accepted to Baylor University, but made the decision to stay close to her family.

Rehm can be bashful and humble about winning awards, but is serious about helping others.

"It is fun and important helping others. Not everyone has the life that I do," she said. "Helping is definitely a worthy cause."