WASHINGTON, Feb. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Zayd Ali, 17 and Mary Temam, 14, both of Washington, D.C., today were named the District of Columbia's top two youth volunteers of 2020 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. As State Honorees, Zayd and Mary each will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion and an invitation to four days of national recognition events in early May in Washington, D.C., where they will join the top two honorees from each of the other states. During these events, 10 students will be named America's top youth volunteers of 2020.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, now in its 25th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
These are the District of Columbia's top youth volunteers of 2020:
High School State Honoree: Zayd Ali
Nominated by Sidwell Friends School
Zayd, a senior at Sidwell Friends School, founded a group at his school that has partnered with several organizations to arrange a variety of soccer events for hundreds of refugee children over the past few years. Zayd, an avid soccer player and fan, got into an intense discussion about the sport with a Brazilian Uber driver in 2016, and ended up learning about the man's life, family and faith. "If I could learn so much about one person through our shared love of soccer," Zayd wondered, "how could I harness this power in my own community to bring people together who usually don't get the chance to interact?"
The answer to his question was "OnSide," an initiative that uses soccer to help young refugees connect with others and adapt to their new surroundings. Zayd recruited fellow high school students to form a board and then began seeking partnerships that could help accomplish his mission. So far, OnSide has worked to organize soccer scrimmages, summer camp soccer clinics, a soccer tournament and outings to professional soccer games for refugee youth from Ethiopia, Syria, Afghanistan and other countries. To fund its activities, Zayd's group sells specially designed shirts that celebrate the drive and determination of refugees and counter the perception that they only bring terror and crime. Zayd is now recruiting and training new project leaders to take over when he graduates and is planning to continue his efforts in college. "OnSide has made coming to a new country easier and more fun for hundreds of refugee youth by connecting them to friends in their new environment through a sport they love," said Zayd.
Middle Level State Honoree: Mary Temam
Nominated by St. Augustine Catholic School
Mary, an eighth-grader at St. Augustine Catholic School, has taken on several community service activities to brighten the lives of people at home and abroad, including a project where she sent more than 200 books plus a variety of school supplies to orphans and refugees in Kenya. "Reading is my passion and joy and I have a desire to share it," especially with kids in need, said Mary. When she learned about a school in Mombasa with very few supplies and reading materials, she resolved to assist the children there.
Mary decided to donate most of the books from her own personal library, and then used her savings to buy more. She also purchased and collected backpacks, pencils, crayons, bookmarks, erasers and notebooks for the African students. She said that she felt it was particularly important to send books "to show the kids in Kenya that there is more than one way to view the world and that anything is possible when you open a book." The young recipients were so delighted by the books that they sent Mary a letter of appreciation, along with magnets with Swahili phrases. Closer to home, Mary has participated in cleaning up the trash along the Anacostia River and made sandwiches for the homeless. Also, after attending two weeks of STEM camps this summer, she used her new knowledge to teach residents of senior homes about managing bill payments, and the impact of saving water and recycling on the environment. "I was inspired by my mother to spread love and cheer," said Mary. "I have learned the value of volunteering and service to others."
Distinguished Finalists
The program judges also recognized two other District of Columbia students as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion.
These are the District of Columbia's Distinguished Finalists for 2020:
Kyndell Geddis, 17, of Washington, D.C., a senior at Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, regularly volunteers her time at So Others May Eat (S.O.M.E.), a community-based organization that provides meals to people experiencing poverty or homelessness. Along with completing volunteer shifts, which include cooking, serving drinks and washing dishes, Kyndell spreads awareness about S.O.M.E.'s mission and has inspired her peers to volunteer with her.
Zoe Valladares, 17, of Washington, D.C., a senior at Washington Leadership Academy, organized a service project as the leader of her school's bike club, in which she and her classmates refurbished and donated 11 bicycles to the National Center for Children and Families. As part of this project, Zoe collected bike donations, helped secure additional funding, taught peers about bike safety and mechanics, and delivered the refurbished bikes.
"In our 25th year of honoring young volunteers, we are as inspired as ever by the work students are doing to address the needs of a changing world," said Charles Lowrey, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc. "We hope that their resolve, their initiative and their perspectives on society's challenges move others to consider how they can make a difference, too."
"Middle level and high school students are doing remarkable things to shape the future of their communities through volunteer service. They inspire all students and schools to drive learning with real-world challenges," said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP. "Congratulations to each of the 2020 honorees – it's an honor to celebrate your commitment to creating positive change."
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 Points of Light Global Network members, 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 4, 10 of the State Honorees – five middle level and five high school students – will be named America's top youth volunteers of 2020. These National Honorees will receive additional $5,000 scholarships, gold medallions, crystal trophies and $5,000 grants from Prudential for nonprofit charitable organizations of their choice.
Since the program began in 1995, more than 130,000 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, China and Brazil. 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.
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 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 PrudentialFinancial
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.
For Spirit of Community Awards program logo and medallion graphics, please visit https://spirit.prudential.com/resources/media
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