WASHINGTON, May 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Colorado's top two youth volunteers of 2019, Hannah Mitchell, 18, of Colorado Springs and Amaya Garcia-White Buffalo, 13, of Antonito, were honored in the nation's capital last night for their outstanding volunteer service during the 24th annual presentation of The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. Hannah and Amaya – along with 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country – received a $1,000 award and personal congratulations from award-winning actress Viola Davis at an award ceremony and gala dinner reception held at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), named Hannah and Amaya Colorado's top high school and middle level youth volunteers in February. In addition to their cash awards, they each received an engraved silver medallion and an all-expense-paid trip with a parent to Washington, D.C., for four days of recognition events.
Hannah, a senior at Pine Creek High School, helped start a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping teens who are dealing with suicidal feelings, and raised more than $4,000 for that cause by organizing two citywide art shows to focus public attention on teen mental health and suicide prevention. In September of 2016, Hannah's world changed when her best friend committed suicide. "In my life, I had never experienced such pain," she said. "While grieving, I turned to art as an outlet for all of the pain, confusion and tumultuous emotions I felt." She also joined with several peers in her county to form an organization called "Project Reasons" to "remind suicidal people and people dealing with mental disorders of the things and people that are worth staying alive for," she said.
Hannah wanted to raise money to support Project Reasons, and because of her interest in art, decided to organize a citywide art gallery event. For two years in a row, she sought support from students, teachers and businesses; recruited volunteers and student artists to participate; and promoted the events via social and news media. Through the sale of tickets to the public and the auction of donated artworks, Hannah's shows raised more than $4,000 to help Project Reasons create a mobile app and a video series, expand regionally, and purchase art supplies for a local mental health center's art therapy group. Hannah also wrote a manual detailing the organizational process involved in her art fundraiser so that it can continue after she graduates, and for years to come.
Amaya, an eighth-grader at Centauri Middle School, launched her "Wolf Pack Unity Project" to encourage students to respect and value themselves, others, their elders and the environment. Since she was a little girl, Amaya has helped her older siblings with volunteer projects that have collected everything from school supplies to hygiene kits to sports equipment for children in need. But when she was in fifth grade, she decided to start her own volunteer initiative after seeing "so-called friends" bully a classmate. "When I defended the classmate, they started to bully me," said Amaya.
Rather than stay silent, Amaya arranged to deliver a presentation to her class about character and bullying. It was such a success, she was allowed to address the entire school. She then began speaking at clubs, organizations and other schools—while distributing bags that promote good character decisions and contain bracelets, pencils, bookmarks, pins, activity books and a pledge certificate to stand up against bullying. Amaya also has conveyed her message by sponsoring a high school basketball game and hosting a unity dance for middle level students. In addition, she encourages friends and family members to help keep clean a mile-long stretch of highway that her Wolf Pack Unity Project has adopted, and to volunteer at senior centers. "Our actions today can affect generations to come," said Amaya. "If we can show respect and value others, it will solve many problems in society that we face."
"We're impressed and inspired by the way these honorees have identified problems facing their communities and stepped up to the challenge to make a difference," said Charles Lowrey, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc. "It's a privilege to celebrate their leadership and compassion, and we look forward to seeing the great things they accomplish in the future."
"These students have not only done important work in support of people in need – they've also shown their peers that young people can, and do, create meaningful change," said Christine Handy, president of NASSP. "We commend each of these young volunteers for all they've contributed to their communities."
Youth volunteers in grades 5-12 were invited to apply for 2019 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards last fall through schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and affiliates of Points of Light's HandsOn Network. More than 29,000 middle level and high school students nationwide participated in this year's program.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program was created in 1995 to identify and recognize young people for outstanding volunteer service – and, in so doing, inspire others to volunteer, too. In the past 24 years, the program has honored more than 125,000 young volunteers at the local, state and national level.
For more information about The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards and this year's honorees, 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 voice for principals and other school leaders across the United States. NASSP seeks to transform education through school leadership, recognizing that the fulfillment of each student's potential relies on great leaders in every school committed to the success of each student. 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 Student Council. Learn more at 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 pictures of the Spirit of Community Awards program logo and medallions, visit https://spirit.prudential.com/resources/media.
For B-roll of Colorado's honorees at the 2019 national recognition events, contact Prudential's Harold Banks at (973) 216-4833 or harold.banks@prudential.com.
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SOURCE Prudential Financial, Inc.