Carson Woodward is just 10, but she has already made a habit of helping others. Every afternoon, she brings the mail in for her 86-year-old great-grandmother and spends time with her, playing their favorite card game, Skip-Bo.

"That's the delight of her day," said Kitty Woodward, Carson's great-grandmother.

Carson helps the community by collecting canned food for the annual Spooky to be Hungry food drive.

Her grandmother said all the neighbors know Carson.

"She's like the Dear Abby of the neighborhood," she said.

At National Hills Elementary School, the fifth-grader has raised the most money for the past two years for the American Heart Association's Jump for the Heart. Her school awarded her the Good Citizenship Award. As a student, Carson excels, earning all As.

Over the summer, she returned to school to help teachers move their classrooms. "I just like helping people," Carson said.

When she's not helping others, Carson plays with her puppy, Logan, a basset hound-Labrador mix. She's also a member of the National Hills Hurricanes Swim Team and scored the most points for the girls for the season, according to her mother, Ashley Woodward. Carson said her favorite events were the butterfly and breaststroke.

She plays recreational softball and attends Stevens Creek Community Church on Sundays and National Hills Baptist Church on Wednesday nights for youth activities.

WHAT IS COMMUNITY COUNTS?

Community Counts is The Augusta Chronicle's collaborative effort to benefit local communities. This multi-tiered program includes contests, events, sponsorships and recognition of outstanding youths, teachers, volunteers and public servants.

WANT TO SALUTE AN OUTSTANDING YOUNG PERSON?

The Augusta Chronicle is accepting nominations for Community Counts Youth of the Month. This award recognizes good students who have talents in the arts, athletics or other areas. A banquet will be held next summer to honor all 12 recipients. Nominees must be ages 8 to 18 and residents of the Aiken-Augusta area. Nomination forms are available at http://chronicle.augusta.com/communitycounts/nominate/. Finalists will be notified by phone. Nominations from previous months will be kept on file and considered at each judging. For more information, call (706) 823-3223 or e-mail sarah.owen@augustachronicle.com. Immediate family members of employees of The Augusta Chronicle, Morris Communications Co., and Community Counts sponsors are ineligible for competition.