Top Youth Volunteers in Each State Selected in 18th Annual National Awards Program
Top Youth Volunteers in Each State Selected in 18thAnnual National Awards Program
102 student volunteers earn $1,000 awards, silver medallions and trip to nation's capital
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- America's 102 most outstanding youth volunteers - two from each state and the District of Columbia - were named State Honorees today by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for exemplary acts of volunteerism. The awards program, now in its 18th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial, Inc. 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, ten of them will be named America's top youth volunteers for 2013.
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. More than 400 other applicants were awarded Certificates of Excellence for their volunteer work. (See attached list of State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists.)
Many of this year's State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists were recognized for working to combat bullying, raise money for cancer research and make more activities accessible to people with disabilities. Others were honored for mentoring other young people and supporting U.S. veterans and troops. A great deal of energy was also devoted to addressing critical needs abroad; many honorees volunteered to help provide impoverished and disaster-stricken communities overseas with food, clothes, shoes, education and comfort.
Learn about the volunteer activities of each State Honoree and Distinguished Finalist at http://spirit.prudential.com.
"Prudential is proud to honor these students for making meaningful contributions to their communities," said Prudential Chairman and CEO John Strangfeld. "We hope that shining a spotlight on their initiative, creativity and compassion inspires others to consider how they, too, can make a difference."
"Through their volunteer service, each of these young people has made his or her mark on at least one person, school or community," said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP. "When you consider the collective impact of each of these individual acts, it's clear that young people can be a major force for good."
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. Nearly 5,000 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 6, 10 of the State Honorees - five middle level and five high school students - will be named America's top youth volunteers of 2013. 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 and India. 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.
About NASSP
NASSP (National Association of Secondary School Principals) 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 provides research-based professional development and resources, networking, and advocacy to build the capacity of middle level and high school leaders to continually improve student performance. Reflecting its longstanding commitment to student leadership development as well, 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. (NYS: 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 http://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
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards 2013 State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists
Alabama |
State Honorees: |
Kristen Ashley, 17, Hewitt-Trussville High School, Trussville |
Emily Whittington, 13, Knollwood Christian School, Mobile |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Sarah Arwood, 17, Parrish High School, Parrish |
Eli Nafziger, 14, Hewitt-Trussville High School, Trussville |
Micah Smith, 16, Hoover High School, Hoover |
Caitlin Wall, 18, Florence High School, Florence |
Alaska |
State Honorees: |
Shaylee Rizzo, 17, Nikiski Middle/High School, Nikiski |
Samuel Allred, 13, Raven Correspondence School, Anchorage |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Allison Ostrander, 16, Kenai Central High School, Kenai |
Reese Qualls, 13, Palmer Junior Middle School, Palmer |
Arizona |
State Honorees: |
Morgan Beckwith, 18, Telesis Center for Learning, Lake Havasu City |
Alexandra Cockett, 13, Trivium Preparatory Academy, Goodyear |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Naveen Dasari, 15, Desert Mountain High School, Scottsdale |
Sarah Heiser, 18, Catalina Foothills High School, Tucson |
Henry Ng, 18, Glendale High School, Glendale |
Aditi Poduval, 17, Desert Mountain High School, Scottsdale |
Matthew Safford, 17, Desert Mountain High School, Scottsdale |
Braden Whitaker, 18, Ironwood Ridge High School, Tucson |
Arkansas |
State Honorees: |
Tiffany Easter, 18, Sheridan High School, Sheridan |
Blake Abston, 13, Pulaski Heights Middle School, Little Rock |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Tatiana Borecky, 17, Shirley High School, Newport |
Katherine Boyd, 17, Huntsville High School, Huntsville |
Robert Callahan, 16, Southside High School, Batesville |
Hailey Flatte, 18, Greenwood High School, Greenwood |
California |
State Honorees: |
Allyson Ahlstrom, 17, Cardinal Newman High School, Santa Rosa |
Teagan Stedman, 13, Harvard-Westlake School, Los Angeles |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Madison Brinnon, 17, YMCA of the East Bay, Oakland |
Lulu Cerone, 13, Archer School for Girls, Los Angeles |
Rohan Chandra, 17, The Harker School, San Jose |
Shawn Esmaili, 18, Saint Francis High School, Mountain View |
Sydney Fredette, 13, St. Anne School, Laguna Niguel |
Noah Lizerbram, 18, La Costa Canyon High School, Carlsbad |
Danamarie McNicholl-Carter, 18, Academy of Our Lady of Peace, San Diego |
Nicole Minkina, 17, Santa Margarita Catholic High School, Rancho Santa Margarita |
Samuel Patton, 14, Nevada County 4-H, Grass Valley |
Kayla Tinucci, 16, Canyon High School, Canyon Country |
Colorado |
State Honorees: |
Austin Reed, 18, Wray High School, Wray |
Estefania Martinez, 13, North Middle School Health Sciences & Technology Campus, Aurora |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Matthew Golub, 18, Evergreen High School, Evergreen |
Andrew Pham, 18, Cherokee Trail High School, Aurora |
Courtney Pool, 18, Pine Creek High School, Colorado Springs |
Navya Roy, 16, Rock Canyon High School, Highlands Ranch |
Connecticut |
State Honorees: |
Alison Forger, 16, Masuk High School, Monroe |
Anna Murphy, 11, Stafford Elementary School, Stafford Springs |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Hanna De Bruyn, 16, Lyme-Old Lyme High School, Old Lyme |
Tyler Hoffman, 17, Farmington High School, Litchfield |
Lexi Kelley, 16, St. Luke's School, New Canaan |
Charles Proctor, 18, Hopkins School, New Haven |
Delaware |
State Honorees: |
Krysta Pritchett, 17, Sussex Technical High School, Georgetown |
Kyle Spillane, 13, Kent County 4-H, Dover |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Emily Ciuffetelli, 17, Cab Calloway School of the Arts, Wilmington |
Daniel Iammatteo, 17, Cape Henlopen High School, Lewes |
District of Columbia |
State Honorees: |
Kahlil Epps, 16, St. John's College High School, Washington |
Miheret Hasenu, 13, Columbia Heights Educational Campus, Washington |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Treyon Hancock, 18, Options Public Charter School, Washington |
Brianna Little, 17, Benjamin Banneker High School, Washington |
Florida |
State Honorees: |
Alexis Lehrman, 14, Design and Architecture Senior High, Miami |
Joshua Williams, 11, Ransom Everglades School, Coconut Grove |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Sara Brenes, 17, The Randazzo School, Coconut Creek |
Erica Chemtob, 17, Trinity Preparatory School, Winter Park |
Valentina Ferreira, 19, Wellington High School, Wellington |
Christopher George, 13, Equip Education, Miramar |
N'Jhari Jackson, 10, The Paideia School of Tampa Bay, Tampa |
Lance Oppenheim, 17, HandsOn Broward, Lauderhill |
Randall Slapikas, 13, Forest Glen Middle School, Coral Springs |
Tiffany Tang, 17, Cypress Creek High School, Orlando |
Georgia |
State Honorees: |
David Resnick, 18, Centennial High School, Roswell |
Kelsey Hirsch, 13, Piney Grove Middle School, Cumming |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Julia Abelsky, 18, North Springs Charter High School, Sandy Springs |
Ben Bearup, 14, Webb Bridge Middle School, Alpharetta |
Chase Czaykowsky, 15, Atlanta Adventist Academy, Duluth |
Sara McCorkle, 17, Evans County 4-H, Claxton |
Mary Claire Birdsong, 18, McFarlane School, Augusta |
Shaurya Verma, 17, Milton High School, Milton |
Hawaii |
State Honorees: |
Brittany Amano, 15, 'Iolani School, Honolulu |
Michael-Logan Jordan, 14, Kailua Intermediate School, Kailua |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Scott Fetz, 17, Hawaii Preparatory Academy, Kamuela |
Lynn Nguyen, 16, Punahou School, Honolulu |
Idaho |
State Honorees: |
Abigail Blue, 17, Mountain View High School, Meridian |
Katie Skarpnes, 12, Vallivue Middle School, Caldwell |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Kyle Ashby, 17, Bishop Kelly High School, Boise |
Carl Breidenbach, 18, Timberline High School, Boise |
Illinois |
State Honorees: |
Paige Logan, 18, Effingham County 4-H, Effingham |
Jashira Bolden, 13, Unity Lutheran Christian Elementary School, East St. Louis |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Mark Crenshaw, 18, Eureka High School, Eureka |
Jake Herb, 16, Barrington High School, Barrington |
Isha Jog, 17, Hoffman Estates High School, Hoffman Estates |
Ingrid Lustig, 18, Lake Forest High School, Lake Forest |
Alex Marck, 18, Aquin Catholic Junior-Senior High School, Freeport |
Michael Bryant Powell, 18, Belleville West High School, Belleville |
Jen Rubino, 18, Maine South High School, Park Ridge |
Matthew Williams, 15, Vienna High School, Vienna |
Indiana |
State Honorees: |
Cayman Jarvis, 17, Center Grove High School, Greenwood |
Courtland Cottle, 13, Maple Crest Middle School, Kokomo |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Kellie Dippel, 18, Brownsburg High School, Brownsburg |
Brooke Campbell, 18, East Noble High School, Kendallville |
Audrey Eckart, 14, Clark-Pleasant Middle School, Greenwood |
Kaylin Fanta, 17, Hanover Central High School, Cedar Lake |
Amber Kriech, 18, Carmel High School, Carmel |
Clayton Smith, 17, Tri-Central High School, Sharpsville |
Iowa |
State Honorees: |
Katelyn Cinnamon, 17, Valley High School, West Des Moines |
Samantha Dilocker, 13, Red Oak Middle School, Red Oak |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Bradley Baudler, 18, Adair County 4-H, Greenfield |
Dylan DeClerck, 17, Valley High School, West Des Moines |
Julianne Delessio, 18, Pleasant Valley High School, Bettendorf |
Jacy McAlexander, 12, Carroll County 4-H, Carroll |
Kansas |
State Honorees: |
Cassie Wang, 17, Olathe Northwest High School, Olathe |
Alec Elffner, 14, Hiawatha Middle School, Hiawatha |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Logan Brown, 17, Free State High School, Lawrence |
Blake Carnes, 17, Blue Valley West High School, Overland Park |
Luke Garrison, 17, Shawnee County 4-H, Topeka |
Anna Lipscomb, 16, Heritage Christian Academy, Olathe |
Kentucky |
State Honorees: |
Virginia Newsome, 17, Lafayette High School, Lexington |
Madison Roy, 10, St. Raphael the Archangel School, Louisville |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Faith Call, 17, Southwestern High School, Somerset |
Jessica Collins, 13, Martha Layne Collins High School, Shelbyville |
Olivia Colliver, 18, Montgomery County High School, Mt. Sterling |
Victoria Poston, 17, Marshall County 4-H, Benton |
Louisiana |
State Honorees: |
Kellie Abbott, 17, Haughton High School, Haughton |
Erica LeMere, 14, University of Texas University Charter, Meridell Campus, Liberty Hill |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Alexa Babin, 17, C. E. Byrd High School, Shreveport |
Henry Futch, 14, Cedar Creek School, Ruston |
Madison Heil, 18, Fontainebleau High School, Mandeville |
Safa Michigan, 13, Caddo Middle Magnet, Shreveport |
Maine |
State Honorees: |
Katherine Elliott, 18, Scarborough High School, Scarborough |
Marissa Bates, 10, Girl Scouts of Maine, South Portland |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Corey Kruszenski, 18, Kennebunk High School, Kennebunk |
Sydney Pepin, 14, Massabesic High School, Waterboro |
Maryland |
State Honorees: |
William Michie, 17, Archbishop Spalding High School, Severn |
Sade Miller, 12, Lockerman Middle School, Denton |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Celeste Awokoya-Gregory, 17, James Hubert Blake High School, Silver Spring |
Nylah Burton, 17, Guyton-Burton Homeschool, Upper Marlboro |
Susanqi Jiang, 16, Richard Montgomery High School, Rockville |
Jessica Lantz, 17, Easton High School, Easton |
Melissa Rifkin, 17, Governor Thomas Johnson High School, Frederick |
Lindsay White, 17, Notre Dame Preparatory School, Towson |
Massachusetts |
State Honorees: |
Lauren Sundstrom, 18, Newburyport High School, Newburyport |
Emily Fabre, 12, Essex County 4-H, Waltham |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Jason Carrier, 17, Austin Preparatory School, Reading |
Erica Chalmers, 17, The Rivers School, Weston |
Jake Cohen, 19, Brookline High School, Brookline |
Rachel Collins, 17, Tyngsborough High School, Lowell |
Riona Reeves, 16, St. Mark's School, Southborough |
Sejal Vallabh, 17, Newton North High School, Newton |
Michigan |
State Honorees: |
Keegan Scholte, 18, Gobles Public Schools, Gobles |
Catherine Sesi, 12, Detroit Country Day Middle School, Beverly Hills |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Bailey Baringer, 17, Notre Dame Preparatory School, Pontiac |
Noah Bizer, 17, South Lyon East High School, South Lyon |
Ali Elreichouni, 17, Fordson High School, Dearborn |
Marwa Harp, 17, Fordson High School, Dearborn |
Autumn Holliday, 15, Morley Stanwood High School, Big Rapids |
Marlena Megerian, 18, Livonia Public Schools, Livonia |
Kilian Southworth, 12, DeWitt Junior High School, DeWitt |
Taylor Weckstein, 14, Central High School, Traverse City |
Minnesota |
State Honorees: |
Hawi Awash, 17, Highland Park Senior High School, St. Paul |
Louie McGee, 12, Highland Catholic School, St. Paul |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Brock Bleichner, 18, Battle Lake High School, Battle Lake |
Xiuqi Cao, 18, Century High School, Rochester |
Jacob Jensen, 15, Albert Lea High School, Albert Lea |
Corey Loken, 16, Robbinsdale Cooper High School, New Hope |
Christopher Nguyen, 18, Spring Lake Park High School, Spring Lake Park |
Kristina Swenson, 15, St. Michael-Albertville Senior High School, St. Michael |
Mississippi |
State Honorees: |
Emilee Parker, 14, Stringer Attendance Center, Stringer |
Joshua Prochaska, 13, Tate County 4-H, Senatobia |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Mary Broadhead, 17, Simpson Academy, Mendenhall |
Taide Ding, 18, Oxford High School, Oxford |
Katie Pinkard, 17, Mississippi School of the Arts, Brookhaven |
Alivia Roberts, 16, Lee County 4-H, Tupelo |
Missouri |
State Honorees: |
Sarah Sutherlin, 18, Villa Duchesne & Oak Hill School, St. Louis |
Sophia Greenwalt, 14, Reeds Spring Middle School, Reeds Spring |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Sophie Bernstein, 13, volunTEENnation.org, St. Bonaventure, NY |
Slava Butkovich, 18, Blue Springs High School, Blue Springs |
Sarah Casteel, 16, Clayton High School, Clayton |
August Clark, 17, Marquette High School, Chesterfield |
Nancy Fairbank, 16, Central High School, Springfield |
Ryan Schweitzer, 17, Hillsboro High School, Hillsboro |
Montana |
State Honorees: |
Patricia Danielle Gornick, 18, Sentinel High School, Missoula |
Isaiah Hesford, 13, Boulder Elementary School, Boulder |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Maria Abbot, 18, Loyola Sacred Heart High School, Missoula |
Sara Bonk, 17, Skyview High School, Billings |
Nebraska |
State Honorees: |
Alexandra Baxter, 17, United Way of the Midlands, Omaha |
My'Kah Knowlin, 11, Lux Middle School, Lincoln |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Justine Bauer, 15, Elm Creek Schools, Elm Creek |
Madeline Lorenzen, 18, Millard Public Schools, Omaha |
Nevada |
State Honorees: |
Konner Robison, 17, Sage Ridge School, Reno |
Anthony Schrecengost, 14, Sig Rogich Middle School, Las Vegas |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Anvi Bhakta, 17, Elko High School, Elko |
Haley Little, 17, Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, Las Vegas |
Karthik Rohatgi, 15, Davidson Academy of Nevada, Reno |
Ashley Taylor, 16, Sage Ridge School, Reno |
New Hampshire |
State Honorees: |
Mariah Larocque, 17, Pinkerton Academy, Derry |
Anne Macleod, 14, Windham Middle School, Windham |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Maya Bloom, 18, Hopkinton High School, Contoocook |
John Heald, 18, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter |
New Jersey |
State Honorees: |
Zachary Certner, 16, Morristown High School, Morristown |
Ellen "Nelle" Evans, 13, Lawrence Middle School, Lawrenceville |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Paige Alenick, 17, Pascack Hills High School, Montvale |
Salvatore Dragone, 18, Clearview Regional High School, Mullica Hill |
Matthew Horbacz, 18, Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft |
Joseph Mandes, 18, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, Galloway |
Michael Mandes, 18, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, Galloway |
Christopher Rim, 17, The Academies @ Englewood, Englewood |
New Mexico |
State Honorees: |
Brianna Swinderman, 16, Rio Rancho High School, Rio Rancho |
Joseph Lee Estrada, 14, Peñasco Middle/High School, Peñasco |
Distinguished Finalists: |
James Maynard, 18, La Cueva High School, Albuquerque |
Kelly Oostman, 17, American Red Cross in New Mexico, Albuquerque |
New York |
State Honorees: |
Samuel Lam, 17, Jericho Senior High School, Jericho |
Cory Nichols, 12, Oceanside Middle School, Oceanside |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Shane Carman, 17, Geneseo Central School, Geneseo |
Kevin Chaves, 16, Kings Park High School, Kings Park |
Jennah Ferrari, 11, Woodland Elementary School, East Syracuse |
Marcella Ferraro, 17, Hunter-Tannersville Middle/High School, Tannersville |
Stefanie Kaufman, 17, W. Tresper Clarke High School, Westbury |
Adam Moss, 17, South Side High School, Rockville Centre |
Steven Trezza, 17, West Hempstead High School, West Hempstead |
Alec Urbach, 17, Long Island High School for the Arts, Syosset |
North Carolina |
State Honorees: |
Emma Astrike-Davis, 16, Cary Academy, Cary |
Madison Bechtel, 14, Wake Forest-Rolesville Middle School, Wake Forest |
Distinguished Finalists: |
Michael Brienza, 17, Charlotte Country Day School, Charlotte |
Avery Faucette, 16, Charlotte Catholic High School, Charlotte |
Katherine Hicks, 18, American Red Cross, Raleigh |