NASHUA — An inspiring 8-year-old has taken the concept of community service to the extreme, helping to raise $18,000 to rebuild schools in Japan devastated by the 2011 tsunami and earthquake.

“When you do something good for others, you get a feeling that I can't really explain. It is nice,” said Nina Mahalingam, a second-grader at The World Academy in Nashua.

Nina, upon learning of the tsunami and earthquake last year in Japan, felt the need to do something to help the children and families impacted by the horrific disaster.

She remembered the old Japanese legend that anyone who folds 1,000 paper cranes is granted a wish, so she created the “Wish Upon a Crane” campaign so that children could fold paper cranes and hope for a better situation in Japan.

“I thought we would make a few hundred paper cranes,” said Nina, who took her initiative to area malls and libraries. She also rallied youth worldwide to fold origami paper cranes as part of her project.

Several months later, about 9,000 cranes were folded from children in 12 countries, raising more than $18,000 to rebuild schools in Japan.

The cranes are a symbol of friendship and a reminder that all will be well, according to Nina's father, Ragho Mahalingam, who said he originally envisioned about 1,000 cranes being folded when she introduced the idea to him.

But when his daughter puts her mind to something, nothing can stop the young girl, said Mahalingam, adding many anonymous sponsors donated money toward the project.

Earlier this month, Nina was named a semifinalist in the 2012 search for Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes because of her community service efforts. She is one of 80 young leaders to be recognized for helping make their community and the world a better place, according to a release.

Ultimately, 10 Huggable Heroes will be selected, each of them receiving $10,000, which includes a $7,500 educational scholarship and $2,500 from the Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation to be donated to a nonprofit charity or Canadian cause of the Huggable Hero's choice.

Mahalingham said his daughter is modest about the honor, but he is extremely proud of her generous heart and willingness to help strangers in need.

Nina is anxious to see how the money she helped raise has made a difference in Japan. Although she has never visited the country, Nina said she would someday like to visit the schools that were built using the money she helped collect.

“I'm from a seaside town in India, so this really hit home for me,” her father said of the massive earthquake. “And, there were so many kids who died in the tsunami. It was devastating.”

Most children do not fully understand the world around them and the tragedy that can be right around the corner, according to Mahalingham, would said it is refreshing to see youth spend their time focusing on helping others and trying to make each other happier.

“Nina is starting to realize that helping others is not just about money, but it is about a bigger cause and getting people together to work toward the same mission,” he said.

Nina also recently received a national President's Volunteer Service Award for her community service. The award, established in 2003 by the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, recognizes valuable contributions that volunteers are making in communities throughout the nation, encouraging more people to serve.

President Barack Obama's letter congratulated Nina and thanked her for setting an example and inspiring others to engage in volunteer service, according to a release. It was presented to her recently during a surprise ceremony at her school.