Annual Search Under Way For Connecticut's Top Youth Volunteers

Over the past 16 years, Prudential Spirit of Community Awards have been given to 1,526 middle and high school students across Connecticut for helping the less fortunate, promoting health and safety, protecting the environment, and serving their communities through many other volunteer activities.  This week the search begins to identify more young Connecticut residents who have made meaningful contributions to their communities over the past 12 months, as the prestigious awards program kicks off its 17th year.

These awards, presented nationwide by Prudential Financial, Inc. in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), honor outstanding community service by young people in grades 5 through 12. 

“Since creating this program in 1995, we’ve been amazed every year by the stories of young volunteers and their outstanding acts of community service,” said Prudential Chairman and CEO John Strangfeld. “We’re delighted to honor these role models and hold them up as examples of how young people can change their communities for the better.”

Young volunteers can apply online at http://spirit.prudential.com or at www.nassp.org/spirit.  Applications must be completed by November 1, 2011, and then submitted to a middle or high school principal, Girl Scout council, county 4-H agent, American Red Cross chapter, YMCA, or affiliate of the HandsOn Network.  Those without Internet access can get a paper version of the application form by calling 877-525-8491 toll-free.

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 7, 2012.  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 5-8, 2012.  Runners-up at the state level will receive bronze medallions or 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. 

Jonathan Berman, 16, of Stamford and Alec Albright, 13, of Milford were Connecticut's top youth volunteers for 2011.  Jonathan, Connecticut's top high school youth volunteer, was honored for founding a nonprofit organization with his brother six years ago to encourage local youth to get involved in community service by trick-or-treating for UNICEF, volunteering at a soup kitchen, and promoting UNICEF’s clean-water Tap Project.  Alec, Connecticut's top middle level volunteer, was recognized for collecting Halloween costumes for children whose families cannot afford to buy them.