Today, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards begins its search for
Rhode Island's top youth volunteers of 2015.
Now through November 4, 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.
This program year marks The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards’ 20th
year of honoring youth volunteers. The program, sponsored by Prudential
Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary
School Principals (NASSP), was 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 recognize young people who contribute to the
well-being of their communities through volunteer service,” said
Prudential Chairman and CEO John Strangfeld. “We look forward to
honoring the nation’s top youth volunteers of 2015, and hope their
stories will inspire others to consider how they can serve their
communities.”
Rhode Island's top youth volunteers of 2014 were John Perino, 16, of
Westerly and Kelly Graziano, 12, of Johnston. John, Rhode Island's top
high school volunteer, co-founded an initiative that collects 4,000
gallons of used cooking oil a month from 132 restaurants and numerous
residential receptacles, then converts it to a biofuel to heat the homes
of families in need. Kelly, Rhode Island's top middle level volunteer,
organized a team of kids that has raised nearly $6,000 for the
Providence Animal Rescue League, contributed her own money and birthday
presents to the shelter, and volunteered at many events to support
homeless and abused pets.
Applicants for 2015 awards must complete their online applications by
November 4, 2014, 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.
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 10, 2015.
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 2-5, 2015. 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.
“Across the United States, middle level and high school-aged volunteers
are changing their communities for the better,” said JoAnn Bartoletti,
executive director of NASSP. “We are honored to celebrate the
contributions of these young leaders.”
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 19 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 voice for middle level and high school
principals, assistant principals, and school leaders from across the
United States and 35 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.
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: Full-color pictures of The Prudential Spirit of
Community Awards program logo and medallions are available at http://spirit.prudential.com.]
Copyright Business Wire 2014