Molly Paul, 15, of Raleigh and Leanne Joyce, 14, of Chapel Hill today
were named North Carolina's top two youth volunteers of 2014 by The
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring
young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. Molly was nominated
by Saint Mary's School in Raleigh, and Leanne was nominated by Grey
Culbreth Middle School in Chapel Hill. The Prudential Spirit of
Community Awards, now in its 19th year, is conducted by Prudential
Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary
School Principals (NASSP).
Molly, a sophomore at Saint Mary’s School, operates an adoption agency
for unwanted pet turtles, and also makes and sells soap products to
support native turtles, their habitat and conservation education. In
2006, after Molly’s parents let her adopt two red-eared slider turtles
as pets, she learned about the problem they posed. Because this species
is the most popular pet turtle in the U.S., and because it can live for
decades, many are eventually released by pet owners into the wild where
they are considered a destructive invasive species because they
outcompete native turtles. Molly developed a passion for these
creatures, and resolved to help find new homes for pet turtles whose
owners could no longer care for them.
Molly created Raleigh Aquatic Turtle Adoption (RATA) and began taking in
unwanted turtles, keeping them in an “aquatic lab” in her house and in a
large backyard pond. She also set up a website both to solicit unwanted
turtles and to find people willing to adopt them. Families from
California to New York have taken advantage of Molly’s service. To
further her turtle mission, Molly created a line of turtle-shaped soap,
body scrubs and soaks, and has raised nearly $10,000 for turtle causes
by selling them in gift shops across North Carolina. She also organized
a science and math leadership “camp” last summer at the North Carolina
Museum of Natural Sciences for 16 middle-level students.
Leanne, an eighth-grader at Grey Culbreth Middle School, started a
nonprofit that has brightened the lives of sick children and teens in 18
pediatric hospitals across 15 states by raising money for gifts
including iPads, gift cards, movies and video games. Born with a
congenital heart condition, Leanne was in the hospital awaiting test
results when a volunteer offered her a gift from a cart of toys. “I
immediately knew that I wanted to give to other hospitalized children,”
said Leanne. “It is very scary for children to be in an unfamiliar
environment where they have no control over their bodies, hospital
routines and treatment.”
In late 2011, Leanne formed her nonprofit organization, “Positive Impact
for Kids,” and got to work. She set up a website, developed a
presentation to solicit donations, appealed to businesses for raffle
items, spoke in front of local clubs, applied for grants, gave
interviews to news media, and brainstormed ways to raise money. After
researching hospitals, she speaks to a child life specialist at each
facility to find out what items would be most appreciated. She found
that iPads are particularly useful since they are used to educate young
patients about upcoming treatments and to distract and entertain them.
So far, Leanne has raised $22,000 to fund her nonprofit. “I plan to
continue my nonprofit throughout my life,” said Leanne. “I love the work
I do and the personal benefits that come with helping others.”
As State Honorees, Molly and Leanne each will receive $1,000, an
engraved silver medallion and an all-expense-paid trip in early May to
Washington, D.C., where they will join the top two honorees from each of
the other states and the District of Columbia for four days of national
recognition events. During the trip, 10 students will be named America’s
top youth volunteers of 2014.
Distinguished Finalists
The program judges also recognized six other North Carolina students as
Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service
activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion.
These are North Carolina's Distinguished Finalists for 2014:
Andrew Distell, 18, of Fayetteville, N.C., a senior at The
Fayetteville Academy, coordinated “Boot Camp 2 Beat Castleman’s and
Cancer,” a charity fitness event with a 27-mile bike ride,
military-style boot camp, and a 5K run/walk. Andrew, who was inspired to
raise awareness and funds by a cousin who has Castleman’s disease,
raised more than $11,000 to fund research through the Castleman’s
Awareness and Research Effort and the Brain Tumor Foundation.
Madison Drouin, 13, of Davidson, N.C., an eighth-grader at
Liberty Preparatory Christian Academy, has raised money and awareness
for Father’s House International Ghana, an organization that provides
shelter and education to former child slaves, by helping to plan a
fundraiser and by donating the proceeds from book she wrote about silk
moths. Madison, who was wants to raise awareness that child slavery
still exists, has also volunteered at school and community events to
share her book and educate others.
Avery Faucette, 17, of Charlotte, N.C., a senior at Charlotte
Catholic High School, has collected and donated more than 13,000 stuffed
animals to police departments and community organizations that work with
traumatized children through a North Carolina chapter of “Stuffed
Animals for Emergencies (SAFE)” an organization she founded in 2010.
Over the years, Avery has enlisted volunteers to help collect, clean and
sort the donations, and has furthered the reach of her program by
sending stuffed animals to Jamaica, Peru, Kenya, Guatemala and Nicaragua.
Rachel Hopkins, 15, of Raleigh, N.C., a member of the Girl
Scouts-North Carolina Coastal Pines and a sophomore at Durham Academy,
has been instrumental in raising awareness of the endangered status of
amphibians through her “Save the Frogs Day.” Rachel, who earned her Girl
Scout Silver and Gold Awards with these projects, also worked with the
North Carolina Herpetological Society to encourage the state legislature
to have the Pine Barrens tree frog declared the state frog and the
marbled salamander declared the state salamander in an effort to call
attention to these endangered species.
Sloane Pfaff, 16, of Morehead City, N.C., a sophomore at West
Carteret High School, co-founded an annual charity fashion show with her
sister in 2005 and has raised more than $35,000 to support various
children’s organizations. In 2012, Sloane coordinated the event on her
own and raised nearly $4,000 for the Boys & Girls Club of Coastal
Carolina.
Emily Shuford, 14, of Hildebran, N.C., a freshman at East Burke
High School, has raised more than $4,000 for a variety of organizations
over the past eight years since she was first diagnosed with kidney
disease. Over the years, Emily has coordinated the annual “Princess with
a Purpose” charity pageant to help fund camp experiences at Camp Kidney
for children with kidney disease.
“We applaud each of these young people for their exemplary volunteer
service,” said Prudential Chairman and CEO John Strangfeld. “They use
their time and talents to make a meaningful difference in their
communities, and we hope their example inspires others to do the same.”
“By going above and beyond in their volunteer service, these students
have brought positive change to communities across the country,” said
JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP. “Congratulations to each
and every one of them on this well-deserved honor.”
About The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards represents the United States’
largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer service. All
public and private middle level and high schools in the country, as well
as all Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross
chapters, YMCAs and HandsOn Network affiliates, were eligible to select
a student or member for a local Prudential Spirit of Community Award.
These Local Honorees were then reviewed by an independent judging panel,
which selected State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists based on
criteria including personal initiative, effort, impact and personal
growth.
While in Washington, D.C., the 102 State Honorees – one middle level and
one high school student from each state and the District of Columbia –
will tour the capital’s landmarks, meet top youth volunteers from other
parts of the world, attend a gala awards ceremony at the Smithsonian’s
National Museum of Natural History, and visit their congressional
representatives on Capitol Hill. On May 5, 10 of the State Honorees –
five middle level and five high school students – will be named
America’s top youth volunteers of 2014. These National Honorees will
receive additional $5,000 awards, gold medallions, crystal trophies and
$5,000 grants from The Prudential Foundation for nonprofit charitable
organizations of their choice.
Since the program began in 1995, more than 100,000 young volunteers have
been honored at the local, state and national level. The program also is
conducted by Prudential subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan,
Ireland, India and China. In addition to granting its own awards, The
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program also distributes
President’s Volunteer Service Awards to qualifying Local Honorees on
behalf of President Barack Obama.
For information on all of this year’s Prudential Spirit of Community
State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists, visit http://spirit.prudential.com
or www.nassp.org/spirit.
About NASSP
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 36 countries around the world.
The association connects and engages school leaders through advocacy,
research, education, and student programs. NASSP advocates on behalf of
all school leaders to ensure the success of each student and strengthens
school leadership practices through the design and delivery of high
quality professional learning experiences. Reflecting its long-standing
commitment to student leadership development, 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.
About Prudential Financial
Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader, 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.
Editors: For full-color pictures of the Spirit of Community Awards
program logo and medallions, click here: http://bit.ly/Xi4oFW
Copyright Business Wire 2014