Krista Nelson has learned the importance of community service and her work at the Ballard Boys and Girls Club has earned her the 2006 Spring Youth of the Quarter honor..

The fifteen-year-old joined other awardees at a King County Boys and Girls Club dinner at the Space Needle last month and told her peers about the best memories of being in the club

Nelson was eight years old when she started spending summers at the Ballard Boys and Girls Club.

She enjoyed the field trips to sites around the city. One popular spot was the International Fountain at the Seattle Center where kids like to run under the waterspouts during warm weather.

In the sixth grade, Nelson began coming to the club during the school year.

She joined the Keystone Club and learned about the value of community service from the counselors and staff.

She plans to take counselor training at the club. When she turns 18, she will be qualified be a counselor.

This summer, Nelson will help with the club's fifth graders.

"I can teach leadership qualities and new games that kids have not heard of," said Nelson.

Her brother Ross, 18 and sister Erika, 21, were both in the Ballard Boys and Girls Club. Their parents are Eric and Kari Nelson.

Krista Nelson is planning a trip to Washington D.C. to attend a national Boys and Girls Club meeting with 2,000 other youth. Twelve kids from Ballard will go on the trip.

"I'm trying to plan a tour of the White House for the group," Nelson said.

When she was attending Whitman Middle School, Nelson was in the Japanese Program and traveled to Japan with her classmates.

She found the hustle and bustle of Tokyo impressive and was touched by her visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.

"I brought back a lot of cultural things you don't learn about here," said Nelson.

Now she would like to study Japan more in depth and is taking Japanese classes at Ballard High. She wants find a way to her Japanese language skills in the future.

Nelson is also an athlete. Since Ballard High does not have a lacrosse team, Nelson played the sport for Roosevelt this year. She helped that team win the state title.

"I make sure I do my best in everything," Nelson said.