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Washington, D.C. - - March 14, 2011 - - The American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) and the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) is pleased to announce that Lester Claravall is the winner of the prestigious National Public Service Award, the premier award for excellence in public service at all levels of government. Employed by the Oklahoma Department of Labor, Claravall heads up the Child Labor Unit and serves as Oklahoma's only full-time child labor specialist responsible for all 77 counties of the state. He will be honored on Monday, March 14th at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel at the ASPA National Conference. There will also be an evening reception in his honor in the Baltimore B Ballroom.

ASPA and NAPA established the National Public Service Award (NPSA) in 1983 to honor individuals whose accomplishments are models of public service within and outside the work environment. The NPSA Awards Program recognizes individuals who exhibit the highest standards of excellence, dedication, and accomplishment over a sustained period of time and who are creative and skilled public servants who make government work through public service.

Lester Claravall loves working with children and believes that a single death is intolerable when it comes to teen workers. As a public servant for the Oklahoma Department of Labor, he created first-ever partnerships, publications and programs to strengthen protection of working minors. To increase efficiency and provide better service to students making a transition into the workforce, Claravall led the charge and replaced the antiquated paper work permit system with an online work permit process resulting in significant cost savings of taxpayer dollars in Oklahoma. In addition, Claravall created the national award-winning "Paying Attention Pays" whose game format teaches students about workplace rights and whose innovative effectiveness and success has been shared with more than 30 countries around the world.

Claravall served as National President of the Interstate Labor Standards Association where he used his leadership to address national workplace issues facing employers and employees. His written contributions and feedback made to the National Young Worker Health and Safety Network led to a reform of the federal child labor laws in Washington, D.C. To protect children from exploitation and endangerment, Claravall created the state's first-ever door-to-door safety awareness poster and brochure to educate parents and teens about illegal youth peddling which is ranked as the most dangerous teen job in the United States.

Claravall entered state government as a Carl Albert Executive Fellow from the University of Oklahoma. As a state employee for the past 14 years, Claravall was named one of the nation's Ten Outstanding Young Americans by the United States Junior Chamber and Finalist for Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World by the Junior Chamber International. He was also honored as one of the Forty Under 40 by OKC Business and one of the Forty Achievers Under 40 by The Journal Record.

As a city employee for three years, Claravall was employed by the Oklahoma City Police Department. He graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation citizens academies. For the past five years, he has volunteered as a Fire Corps Supervisor for the Oklahoma City Fire Department. In addition, he served as President of Making The Grade, an Oklahoma City school-to-work program helping students transition into a job. A marathon runner, Claravall has competed in more than 250 road races supporting such causes as the United Way, YMCA, hospice, cancer awareness, and abused kids.

Claravall was nominated by James W. Carlton, Jr., Attorney at Law with Garvin, Agee, Carlton & Mashburn, P .C.