Today, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards begins its 19th
annual search for Iowa's top youth volunteers.
Now through November 5, students in grades 5-12 are invited to apply for
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards if they have made meaningful
contributions to their communities through volunteer service within the
past 12 months. The application is available at http://spirit.prudential.com
and www.nassp.org/spirit.
The awards, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the
National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), were
created in 1995 to recognize middle level and high school students for
helping people in need, promoting health and safety, protecting the
environment or volunteering in other ways. The awards are presented
annually on the local, state and national level.
“Prudential is proud to honor young people who contribute their time and
talents to improving the communities around them,” said Prudential
Chairman and CEO John Strangfeld. “We celebrate their service with hope
that others will be inspired to follow their fine example.”
Iowa's top youth volunteers of 2013 were Katelyn Cinnamon, 18, of West
Des Moines and Samantha Dilocker, 14, of Red Oak. Katelyn, Iowa's top
high school volunteer, has raised thousands of dollars to purchase iPad
tablets for each exam room at the Blank Children’s Hospital
Hematology/Oncology Clinic, and to send young cancer patients to a
weeklong camp through the Children’s Cancer Connection. Samantha, Iowa's
top middle level volunteer, initiated an annual auction of baked goods
and crafts at her local Elks Lodge that has raised more than $22,000
over the past seven years for a local food pantry, a scholarship fund, a
community toy drive and a child with cancer.
Applicants for 2014 awards must complete their online application by
November 5, 2013, then submit them for certification to a middle or high
school principal, Girl Scout council, county 4-H agent, American Red
Cross chapter, YMCA or HandsOn Network affiliate. Paper application
forms can be requested by calling 877-525-8491 toll-free.
Participating schools and local organizations will select Local Honorees
in early November and present them with Certificates of Achievement.
These Local Honorees also will receive the President’s Volunteer Service
Award from President Barack Obama if they have contributed the minimum
number of volunteer hours to qualify (50 hours for age 14 and younger,
100 hours for older students). All Local Honorees are then reviewed by a
state-level judging committee, which will name the top two candidates
from each state and the District of Columbia – one high school student
and one middle level student – as State Honorees on February 11, 2014.
These State Honorees will receive $1,000 awards, engraved silver
medallions, and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., with a
parent for four days of recognition events May 3-6, 2014. Distinguished
Finalists at the state level will receive bronze medallions, and
runners-up will receive Certificates of Excellence.
In Washington, a distinguished national selection committee will name 10
of the 102 State Honorees as America’s top youth volunteers of the year.
These National Honorees will receive additional awards of $5,000, gold
medallions, crystal trophies for their nominating schools or
organizations, and $5,000 grants from The Prudential Foundation for
nonprofit charitable organizations of their choice.
“It is often said that young people are the leaders of tomorrow – but
every year brings proof that youth volunteers are already among the
leaders of today,” said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP.
“Middle level and high school students are making meaningful
contributions to their communities, and it is a privilege to shine a
spotlight on their service.”
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program is the United States’
largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer community
service, and has honored more than 100,000 young volunteers at the
local, state and national level over the past 18 years. The awards
program also is conducted in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Ireland, India
and China, where Prudential has significant business operations.
The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the
leading organization of and national voice for middle level and high
school principals, assistant principals, and all school leaders from
across the United States and more than 38 countries around the world.
The association provides research-based professional development and
resources, networking, and advocacy to build the capacity of middle
level and high school leaders to continually improve student
performance. Reflecting its longstanding commitment to student
leadership development as well, NASSP administers the National Honor
Society™, National Junior Honor Society®, National Elementary Honor
Society®, and National Association of Student Councils®. For more
information about NASSP, located in Reston, VA, visit www.nassp.org.
Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU), a financial services leader with
more than $1 trillion of assets under management as of June 30, 2013,
has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.
Prudential’s diverse and talented employees are committed to helping
individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth
through a variety of products and services, including life insurance,
annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment
management. In the U.S., Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for
strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century.
For more information, please visit www.news.prudential.com/.
Copyright Business Wire 2013