WASHINGTON, Feb. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- They're taking on
food insecurity, opioid abuse and veteran homelessness. Several are
leading projects to strengthen their local ecosystems. Many created
new opportunities for inclusion and connection amongst their
peers.
Those are just some stories of the 102 youth volunteers – two
from each state and the District of
Columbia – who today were named State Honorees by The
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program
honoring students in grades 5-12 for outstanding volunteer service.
Read the names and stories of this year's honorees at
http://spirit.prudential.com.
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).
Each of the 102 State Honorees will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion and an
all-expense-paid trip in early May to Washington, D.C., for four days of national
recognition events. During the trip, 10 will be named America's top
youth volunteers of 2020.
In addition to the State Honorees, the program's judges
recognized 234 students nationwide as Distinguished Finalists for
their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an
engraved bronze medallion. Nearly 450 other applicants were awarded
Certificates of Excellence for their volunteer work.
"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. Each of these National
Honorees will receive:
- a $5,000 scholarship
- a gold medallion
- a crystal trophy for their nominating school or organization,
and
- a $5,000 Prudential grant for a
nonprofit charitable organization 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.
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.
For Spirit of Community Awards
program logo and medallion
graphics, please visit
https://spirit.prudential.com/resources/media
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SOURCE Prudential Financial, Inc.