826 Seattle founder Teri Hein and Ballard High School student Meron Kasahun were at the White House today to receive an award from First Lady Michelle Obama.

The award recognized 826 Seattle for its effectiveness in developing learning and life skills in young people by engaging them through the power of the written word.

826 Seattle is the city's only nonprofit dedicated to improving the writing skills of youth, age 6 to 18, and helping teachers inspire students to write.

Kasahun, 17, is a senior at Ballard High and the daughter of a single Ethiopian immigrant mother. She began attending 826 Seattle's afterschool programs more than five years ago, and has been a regular at the Greenwood-based nonprofit ever since.

Kasahun has served as a Youth Mentor at 826 Seattle and is currently a member of its Youth Advisory Board. She is also president of the Ballard High Black Student Union, is an active member of Teens Against Tobacco and has been an editor at her school newspaper.

Today, Kasahun stood in the East Room of the White House to accept the 2011 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award from Mrs. Obama.

"Having the chance to represent my peers in accepting this award from the First Lady in the White House was an experience that I will never forget," said Kasahun. "I found my community at 826 Seattle, and I attribute much of my success to the support, mentoring, homework help, and writing classes I have received there. It was amazing to have 826 recognized in such a big way, and I am honored to have represented."

Chosen from a pool of more than 470 nominations and 50 finalists, 826 Seattle was one of 12 after-school and out-of-school programs across the country to receive the award, which is the highest honor such programs can receive in the United States.

The awards are administered by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH), in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The award honors community-based arts and humanities programs that make a marked difference in the lives of their participants by improving academic scores and graduation rates, enhancing life skills, developing positive relationships with peers and adults, and expressing themselves creatively.

The award was celebrated by a number of its long-time partners and supporters, including U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, US Representative Jim McDermott, and US Representative Jay Insley.

"By inspiring young people to embrace and enjoy writing, 826 Seattle opens doors that help students succeed in school and later in life," said Congressman McDermott. "Very few organizations make learning how to communicate as joyful and fun as 826 Seattle does. I am very proud that the White House saw it fit to honor them with the 2011 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award."

In addition to the national recognition bestowed by receipt of the prestigious award, 826 Seattle will also receive $10,000 to support its programming and engage more young people from the community.

To learn more about 826 Seattle, visit http://www.826seattle.org.