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 16th 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 to Washington, D.C., April 30-May 3 for several days of national recognition events. Ten of them will be named America’s top youth volunteers for 2011 at that time.
In addition to the State Honorees, the program’s judges recognized 233 students nationwide as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion. More than 500 other applicants were awarded Certificates of Excellence for their volunteer work. (See attached list of State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists.)
A large number of State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists this year – 20 percent – conducted volunteer activities to address needs in foreign countries, especially in Africa and Latin America. Honorees traveled to volunteer in orphanages, build homes, and teach impoverished children. In their own communities, they collected food, medical supplies, clothing, books, school supplies, eyeglasses, teddy bears, and soccer cleats to send overseas. And they raised money to finance school tuitions, refugee relief, AIDS medications, clean-water projects, and other critical needs in desperate communities around the world.
There was a great deal of energy devoted to needs in the U.S., as well. Many honorees were recognized for assisting Americans who are sick or disabled, aiding the disadvantaged, tutoring or mentoring other young people, and promoting health and safety. Others were cited for enhancing school or community resources, protecting the environment, taking care of animals, and supporting U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Information on the volunteer activities of all of the honorees can be found at http://spirit.prudential.com.
“These award recipients have proven that young people across America are critical to the future of our neighborhoods, our nation, and our world,” said John R. Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial. “Each and every one of these honorees deserve our respect and admiration, and we hope by shining a light on them, they will continue to serve as an example for others.”
All public and private middle level and high schools in the U.S., as well as all Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and affiliates of HandsOn Network, were eligible to select a student or member for a local Prudential Spirit of Community Award this past November. More than 5,000 Local Honorees were then reviewed by an independent judging panel, which selected State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists based on criteria such as personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact and personal growth.
“The young people recognized by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards demonstrate an enormous capacity for giving and reaching out to those in need,” said Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. “NASSP is proud to honor these student leaders because they are wonderful examples of the high caliber of young people in our nation’s schools today.”
While in Washington, D.C., the 102 State Honorees will tour the capital’s landmarks, attend a gala awards ceremony at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, and visit their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill. In addition, 10 of them – five middle level and five high school students – will be named National Honorees on May 2 by a prestigious national selection committee. These 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.
Serving on the national selection committee will be Strangfeld of Prudential; Jana Frieler, president of NASSP; Michelle Nunn, president and CEO of the Points of Light & HandsOn Network; Marguerite Kondracke, president and CEO of the America’s Promise Alliance; Donald T. Floyd Jr., president and CEO of National 4-H Council; Pamela Farr, the American Red Cross’ national chair of volunteers; Elson Nash, associate director for project management at the Corporation for National and Community Service; Michael Cohen, president and CEO of Achieve, Inc.; and two 2010 Prudential Spirit of Community National Honorees: Shannon McNamara of Basking Ridge, N.J., and Benjamin Sater of Plano, Texas.
In addition to granting its own awards, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program will distribute President’s Volunteer Service Awards to more than 2,800 of its Local Honorees this year on behalf of President Barack Obama. The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards represent the United States’ largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer service. Since the program began in 1995, more than 95,000 young volunteers have been honored at the local, state or national level. Many prominent public figures have assisted in saluting these honorees over the years, including President Jimmy Carter, Barbara Bush, Magic Johnson, John Glenn, Madeleine Albright, Rudy Giuliani, Whoopi Goldberg, Colin Powell, Peyton Manning, Laura Bush, and Condoleezza Rice. The program also is conducted by Prudential subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Ireland and India.
In existence since 1916, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the preeminent organization of and national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and aspiring school leaders from across the United States and more than 45 countries around the world. NASSP’s mission is to promote excellence in school leadership. The National Honor Society®, National Junior Honor Society®, National Elementary Honor Society™, and National Association of Student Councils® are all NASSP programs. For more information about NASSP, located in Reston, Va., visit www.nassp.org or call 703-860-0200.
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, investment management, and real estate services. 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/
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The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards |
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2011 State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists |
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Alabama |
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State Honorees: |
| Megan Smith, 16, Hartselle High School, Hartselle |
| Emma O’Rear, 13, Haleyville City Schools, Hayleyville |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Anna Atchley, 17, Muscle Shoals High School, Muscle Shoals |
| Mi’a Callens, 17, Oak Mountain High School, Birmingham |
| Shejuti Paul, 17, American Red Cross of Northwest Alabama, Florence |
| Catherine Shipp, 17, W.P. Davidson High School, Mobile |
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Alaska |
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State Honorees: |
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Zachary Boyden, 17, Colony High School, Palmer |
| Ashton Lund, 13, Fronteras Spanish Immersion Charter School, Wasilla |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Olivia Pfeifer, 17, Kenai Central High School, Kenai |
| Anna Wichorek, 18, West Anchorage High School, Anchorage |
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Arizona |
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State Honorees: |
| Jennifer O’Neal, 17, Sahuaro Girl Scout Council, Tucson |
| Kayla Gamble, 11, Wigwam Creek Middle School, Litchfield Park |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Max Benning, 14, HandsOn Greater Phoenix, Phoenix |
| Erika Crandall, 17, Mesa High School, Mesa |
| Kelley Gullo, 18, Queen Creek High School, Queen Creek |
| Magin Hall, 18, Lake Hayasu High School, Lake Hayasu City |
| Preslee Swern, 17, Paradise Honors High School, Surprise |
| Zobella Vinik, 18, Basis Tucson, Tucson |
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Arkansas |
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State Honorees: |
| Abigail Gates, 18, University of Arkansas 4-H Extension Service, Clinton |
| Leyton Gassaway, 12, Crowley’s Ridge Academy, Paragould |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Mills Bryant, 13, Morrilton Junior High School, Morrilton |
| Whitney Condley, 17, Hector High School, Hector |
| Hodge Hunter, 18, Clark County 4-H Extension Office, Arkadelphia |
| Melanie Morse, 17, Benton High School, Benton |
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California |
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State Honorees: |
| Blakely Colvin, 17, Santa Ynez Valley Union High School, Santa Ynez |
| Tyler Page, 13, J. Douglas Adams Middle School, Brentwood |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Athman Adiseshan, 13, East Valley Family YMCA, San Jose |
| Francesca Coxe, 17, San Clemente High School, San Clemente |
| Caitlin Crommett, 17, Tesoro High School, Rancho Santa Margarita |
| Gabriel Ferrick, 15, Montgomery High School, Santa Rosa |
| Tatiana Grossman, 17, American Red Cross Silicon Valley, San Jose |
| Joyce Lau, 17, Mira Loma High School, Sacramento |
| Catherine Mitchell, 15, Guajome Park Academy, Vista |
| Nicolas Northen, 12, Las Flores Middle School, Las Flores |
| Katie Whaley, 16, Lutheran High School of Orange County, Orange |
| Sarah Williams, 18, Amador Valley High School, Pleasanton |
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Colorado |
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State Honorees: |
| Lindsey Buxman, 16, Centennial High School, Pueblo |
| Leah Fox, 13, Boltz Middle School, Fort Collins |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Angela Harder, 18, Holy Family High School, Broomfield |
| Tesia Kolodziejczyk, 18, Pine Creek High School, Colorado Springs |
| Ann Moorman, 15, Arapahoe County 4-H Extension Office, Littleton |
| Kristina Shonkwiler, 14, Cheyenne Mountain Junior High School, Colorado Springs |
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Connecticut |
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State Honorees: |
| Jonathan Berman, 16, Westhill High School, Stamford |
| Alec Albright, 13, St. Mary School, Milford |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Syed Alam, 17, Cheshire High School, Cheshire |
| Sarah Hackett, 18, Wilton High School, Wilton |
| Amoolya Narayanan, 17, Glastonbury High School, Glastonbury |
| Alex Navarro, 18, Old Saybrook High School, Old Saybrook |
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Delaware |
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State Honorees: |
| Jon Osborne, 18, Charter School of Wilmington, Wilmington |
| Genevieve Spence, 12, Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay, Newark |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Matthew McNeill, 14, Archmere Academy, Claymont |
| Kelsey Oli, 17, Indian River High School, Dagsboro |
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District of Columbia |
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State Honorees: |
| Kevin Iraheta, 17, Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, Washington |
| Chaquan Barbett, 13, Kramer Middle School, Washington |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Victoria McGee, 17, School Without Walls, Washington |
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Florida |
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State Honorees: |
| Wendi Oppenheim, 18, Pine Crest School, Fort Lauderdale |
| Rachel Wheeler, 11, Zion Lutheran Christian School, Deerfield Beach |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Danielle Colson, 18, American Heritage School, Plantation |
| Kayla Dubnick, 17, West Boca Raton High School, Boca Raton |
| Benjamin Gajus, 17, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland |
| Kelly Hsu, 17, Miami Palmetto Senior High School, Miami |
| Colby Lufkin, 17, St. Edwards School, Vero Beach |
| Lucas Metropulos, 18, St. Andrew’s School, Boca Raton |
| Catherine Trisch, 18, Fort White High School, Fort White |
| Joshua Williams, 9, Fisher Island Day School, Fisher Island |
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Georgia |
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State Honorees: |
| Andrew Mirolli, 18, North Paulding High School, Dallas |
| Tiffani Alexander, 13, Rockdale County 4-H Extension Office, Conyers |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Morgan Bowen, 17, Sumter County 4-H Club, Americus |
| Myasia Burns, 17, Monroe Area High School, Monroe |
| Tate Hutwagner, 17, Columbus High School, Columbus |
| Mary Lathem, 15, Newton County 4-H Extension Office, Covington |
| Charles Orgbon, 15, Mill Creek High School, Hoschton |
| Jacob Seltman, 18, Centennial High School, Roswell |
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Hawaii |
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State Honorees: |
| Natalie Mohr, 17, Kealakehe High School, Kailua-Kona |
| Carly Button, 14, Hawaii Technology Academy, Waipahu |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Richel Marie Cole, 17, Sacred Hearts Academy, Honolulu |
| Kyle Nakatsuka, 17, Kamehameha High School, Kapalama, Honolulu |
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Idaho |
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State Honorees: |
| Dylan Bass, 18, Garden Valley High School, Garden Valley |
| McKenzie Gredler, 13, Sawtooth Middle School, Meridian |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Zana Davey, 17, The Community School, Sun Valley |
| Emily Miller, 19, Kuna High School, Kuna |
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Illinois |
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State Honorees: |
| Elizabeth Lee, 18, Lake Park High School, Roselle |
| Glennita Williams, 14, Mckinley Junior High School, South Holland |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Jonny Cohen, 15, Highland Park High School, Highland Park |
| Henry DeTrempe, 17, St. Viator High School, Arlington Heights |
| Alana Dreimann, 16, Lake Forest High School, Lake Forest |
| Carlee Graham, 18, Carlinville High School, Carlinville |
| Karina Kedo, 18, Regina Dominican High School, Wilmette |
| Lauren Tasiopoulos, 17, Libertyville High School, Libertyville |
| Sebastian von Zerneck, 18, Peoria Notre Dame High School, Peoria |
| Ellen Wildman, 16, Geneva Community High School, Geneva |
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Indiana |
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State Honorees: |
| Elizabeth Niemiec, 17, Michigan City High School, Michigan City |
| Madison McCorkle, 12, Central Middle School, Kokomo |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Rachel Dalton, 18, Eastern High School, Pekin |
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Kaylin Fanta, 15, Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, Chicago, Illinois |
| Nick Hebert, 18, Floyd Central High School, Floyd Knobs |
| Danielle Matthews, 17, North Decatur Junior/Senior High School, Greensburg |
| Madison Moyle, 18, Canterbury School, Fort Wayne |
| Nate Osborne, 17, Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory, Indianapolis |
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Iowa |
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State Honorees: |
| Sarah Cronk, 17, Pleasant Valley High School, Bettendorf |
| Jungah Lee, 14, Stilwell Junior High School, West Des Moines |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Austin Ehlers, 18, Sioux Central Community High School, Sioux Rapids |
| Rachel Goering, 17, Cardinal High School, Eldon |
| Max McGee, 17, Washington High School, Cedar Rapids |
| Robert Pak, 18, Valley High School, West Des Moines |
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Kansas |
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State Honorees: |
| Jeffrey Hanson, 17, Horizon Academy, Roeland Park |
| Marleah Mullen, 14, Pleasant Valley Middle School, Wichita |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
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Gordie Hamilton, 17, The Pembroke Hill School, Kansas City, Missouri |
| Anna Lipscomb, 14, Heritage Christian Academy, Olathe |
| Tayler McCullough, 18, Rossville Junior/Senior High School, Rossville |
| Megan Rowe, 16, Blue Valley Southwest High School, Overland Park |
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Kentucky |
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State Honorees: |
| Jibril McCaster, 17, J.D. Patton Area Technology Center, Fort Mitchell |
| Lucy Duane, 13, St. Francis of Assisi, Louisville |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Rossi Clark, 17, Pulaski County Extension Service, Somerset |
| Katelyn Lux, 17, Presentation Academy, Louisville |
| Lindsey Stephens, 17, Pulaski County High School, Somerset |
| Rachel Stone, 17, Henderson County High School, Henderson |
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Louisiana |
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State Honorees: |
| Carrie Ingerman, 17, Episcopal High School, Baton Rouge |
| Neil Nathan, 13, Caddo Middle Magnet School, Shreveport |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Carter Boyd, 17, Loyola College Preparatory, Shreveport |
| Taylor Granger, 18, Hathaway High School, Jennings |
| Justin Magrath, 17, Fontainebleau High School, Mandeville |
| Daniel McFarland, 18, Lousiana State University AgCenter, Shreveport |
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Maine |
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State Honorees: |
| Ian Pelletier, 18, Deer Isle-Stonington High School, Deer Isle |
| Charlotte Eisenberg, 13, King Middle School, Portland |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Logan Lafayette, 17, Hampden Academy, Hampden |
| Andrew Schlebecker, 18, Camden Hills Regional High School, Rockport |
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Maryland |
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State Honorees: |
| Christina Antonini, 18, Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, Baltimore |
| Sareana Kimia, 12, Parkland Magnet Middle School, Rockville |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Kristy Choi, 17, Richard Montgomery High School, Rockville |
| Josephine Grant, 16, Francis Scott Key High School, Union Bridge |
| Meira Gunzburg, 17, Bais Yaakov of Baltimore, Baltimore |
| Tasha Robinson, 17, Francis Scott Key High School, Union Bridge |
| Clarissa Schilstra, 17, Mt. Hebron High School, Ellicott City |
| Adrianna Smith, 18, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Washington, D.C. |
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Massachusetts |
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State Honorees: |
| Julie Sargent, 17, Tahanto Regional Middle High School, Boylston |
| Taylor Leong, 12, Crisafulli School, Westford |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Marco DiBlasi, 13, Glen Urquhart School, Beverly Farms |
| Michael Gants, 18, Lexington High School, Lexington |
| Solomon Goldstein-Rose, 17, Amherst Regional High School, Amherst |
| Matthew Hershfield, 17, Sharon High School, Sharon |
| Moira Landry, 14, Swampscott Middle School, Swampscott |
| Hayley Morais, 17, Apponequet Regional High School, Lakeville |
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Michigan |
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State Honorees: |
| Emily Smith, 18, Seaholm High School, Birmingham |
| Phoebe Holmes, 13, Oakview Middle School, Oakview |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Thomas First, 18, Cassopolis Ross Beatty Junior/Senior High School, Cassopolis |
| Noelle Goffnett, 17, Mt. Pleasant High School, Mt. Pleasant |
| Craig Kaplan, 17, Lahser High School, Bloomfield Hills |
| Emily Mainguy, 17, Port Huron High School, Port Huron |
| Kylie Maxson, 17, Hamilton High School, Hamilton |
| Leena Raza, 17, International Academy, Troy |
| Chloe Smiley, 17, Clarkston High School, Clarkston |
| Zachary Zuzueta, 17, Traverse City West Senior High School, Traverse City |
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Minnesota |
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State Honorees: |
| Peter Larson, 17, Wayzata High School, Plymouth |
| Hayden Oliver, 13, Century Junior High School, Forest Lake |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Elaina Hamann, 17, St. Anthony Village High School, St. Anthony Village |
| Andrew Nguyen, 17, Coon Rapids High School, Coon Rapids |
| Sean Quinn, 17, St. John’s Academy, Lake Elmo |
| Alexandra Richardson, 17, Minnesota Children’s Museum, St. Paul |
| Walker Welch, 17, Kenyon-Wanamingo High School, Kenyon |
| Max Woodrich, 17, Thomas Jefferson High School, Bloomington |
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Mississippi |
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State Honorees: |
| Lucas Foley, 17, New Albany High School, New Albany |
| Gabrielle Spicer, 12, Ocean Springs Middle School, Ocean Springs |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Ashley Calcote, 17, HandsOn Gulf Coast, Gulfport |
| Holley Cunningham, 19, Resurrection Catholic High School, Pascagoula |
| Jake Dover, 17, South Panola High School, Batesville |
| Victoria King, 17, Presbyterian Christian School, Hattiesburg |
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Missouri |
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State Honorees: |
| Alexander Kehm, 16, Rockwood Summit High School, Fenton |
| Jacob Mozer, 14, Moreland Ridge Middle School, Blue Springs |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Selchia Cain, 17, Archbishop O’Hara High School, Kansas City |
| Niyonzima Etienne, 20, Rock Bridge High School, Columbia |
| Hannah Green, 17, Whitfield School, St. Louis |
| Caroline Levens, 17, Parkway Central High School, Chesterfield |
| Michael Pelts, 17, Warrenton High School, Warrenton |
| Amanda Riley, 17, School of the Osage High School, Osage Beach |
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Montana |
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State Honorees: |
| Kelsey Weyerbacher, 17, Custer County District High School, Miles City |
| Alyssa McCrossin, 13, Ravalli County 4-H Extension Office, Hamilton |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Terry Biere, 17, Montana State University Butte-Silver Bow 4-H Extension Office, Butte |
| Cassidy Cook, 18, Bozeman High School, Bozeman |
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Nebraska |
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State Honorees: |
| Kayla Blackwell, 17, University of Nebraska-Lincoln |
| Extension Office of Douglas and Sarpy Counties, Omaha |
| Justine Bauer, 13, Elm Creek School, Elm Creek |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Brianna Brass, 17, Lincoln East High School, Lincoln |
| Sara Culey, 18, Kearney High School, Kearney |
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Nevada |
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State Honorees: |
| John-Henry Lambin, 18, JRJ School, Gardnerville |
| Jace Six, 13, Tonopah Middle School, Tonopah |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Angela Foremaster, 17, Legacy High School, North Las Vegas |
| Skyler Greenman, 17, Carson High School, Carson City |
| Kaylan Poindexter, 18, College of Southern Nevada High School – South, Henderson |
| Seth Roux, 17, Bishop Manogue Catholic High School, Reno |
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New Hampshire |
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State Honorees: |
| Taylor Levesque, 17, Trinity High School, Manchester |
| Chase Hughes, 13, YMCA of Greater Manchester, Manchester |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| John Cicci, 18, Souhegan High School, Amherst |
| Jennifer Wright, 17, Nashua High School North, Nashua |
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New Jersey |
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State Honorees: |
| Rujul Zaparde, 16, The Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville |
| Rocco Fiorentino,14, Voorhees Middle School, Voorhees Township |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Grace Farren, 17, Ranney School, Tinton Falls |
| Gabriella Handal, 14, Academy of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Franklin Lakes |
| Aileen Jiang, 18, Montgomery High School, Skillman |
| Michael Mandes, 16, United Way’s Volunteer Center of Atlantic County, Galloway |
| Jacob Silberg, 18, Columbia High School, Maplewood |
| Krithika Varagur, 17, John P. Stevens High School, Edison |
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New Mexico |
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State Honorees: |
| Kyle Swimmer, 17, Laguna Acoma High School, Casa Blanca |
| Scott Yarbrough, 13, Mountain View Middle School, Rio Rancho |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Serina Pack, 16, Grant County 4-H Extension Office, Silver City |
| Denali Wilson, 18, Mayfield High School, Las Cruces |
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New York |
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State Honorees: |
| Paarth Shah, 16, Horseheads High School, Horseheads |
| Sarah Connor, 11, Northport Middle School, Northport |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Stephanie Breed, 17, Fayetteville-Manlius High School, Manlius |
| John Farese, 17, Sayville High School, West Sayville |
| McKenna Heffner, 14, Girl Scouts of Nypenn Pathways, Cicero |
| Brian McPartland, 17, Brewster High School, Brewster |
| Robert Porco, 17, Southampton High School, Southampton |
| Kristen Rischert-Garcia, 16, Trinity School, New York |
| Daniel Ullman, 17, Blind Brook High School, Rye Brook |
| Alec Urbach, 15, New York Film Academy, New York |
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North Carolina |
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State Honorees: |
| Manasvi Koul, 18, Marvin Ridge High School, Waxhaw |
| Casey Sokolovic, 13, The Oakwood School, Greenvillle |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| MacKenzie Kiger, 17, Ronald Regan High School, Pfaff Town |
| Maggie Medlin, 17, Greensboro Day School, Greensboro |
| Minali Nigam, 18, Marvin Ridge High School, Waxhaw |
| Dakota Palacio, 16, A.L. Brown High School, Kannapolis |
| Rasika Rajagopalan, 17, Charles Jordan High School, Durham |
| Tyler Strasser, 15, Mount Holly Middle School, Mount Holly |
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North Dakota |
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State Honorees: |
| Cara Mund, 17, Century High School, Bismarck |
| Lexy Grenier, 12, Schroeder Middle School, Grand Forks |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Kristen Meland, 17, Harvey High School, Harvey |
| Annika Vernon, 17, Hazen High School, Hazen |
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Ohio |
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State Honorees: |
| Joseph Melenick, 17, Bay High School, Bay Village |
| Mariah Faith Reynolds, 12, The School for Creative and Performing Arts, Cincinnati |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Taylor France, 17, Girl Scouts of Western Ohio, Cincinnati |
| Robert Hendricks, 15, Rocky River High School, Rocky River |
| Lacy Keith, 17, Madison Junior/Senior High School, Middletown |
| Edward Osborn, 17, Bishop Ready High School, Columbus |
| Abigail Pawlak, 13, Mccord Junior High School, Sylvania |
| Sachin Rudraraju, 17, Delaware County 4-H Extension Office, Delaware |
| Cara Shaver, 15, St. Francis DeSales High School, Columbus |
| Sarah Young, 10, Highland County 4-H Extension Office, Hillsboro |
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Oklahoma |
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State Honorees: |
| Parth Singh, 16, Jenks High School, Jenks |
| Timothy Reeves, 12, Okmulgee County 4-H Extension Office, Okmulgee |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Katy Crocker, 16, Tulsa County 4-H Extension Office, Tulsa |
| Emily Morrow, 17, Cleveland County 4-H Extension Office, Norman |
| Kenneth Ramsey, 18, McAlester High School, McAlester |
| Sheyda Zakerion, 18, Union High School, Tulsa |
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Oregon |
| State Honorees: |
| Brandon Chambers, 18, American Red Cross-Oregon Pacific Chapter, Eugene |
| Zachary Odegard, 14, Polk County 4-H Extension Office, Dallas |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Keet Dailey, 15, Corvallis High School, Corvallis |
| Adrienne Engle, 17, Phoenix High School, Phoenix |
| Samuel Estes, 18, Blanchet Catholic School, Salem |
| Bobbi Sullivan, 12, da Vinci Arts Middle School, Portland |
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Pennsylvania |
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State Honorees: |
| Shoshanna Goldin, 17, Moravian Academy, Bethlehem |
| Hollywood Ruch, 14, Mechanicsburg Middle School, Mechanicsburg |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Eric Bellis, 11, Defranco Elementary School, Bangor |
| Tara Hedden, 17, Western Wayne High School, Lake Ariel |
| Breanna Lincoski, 17, California Area High School, Coal Center |
| Brian McWilliams, 16, PineRichland School District, Gibsonia |
| Lauren O’Grady, 17, Manheim Township High School, Lancaster |
| Kendall Ohrwashel, 17, Nazareth Area High School, Nazareth |
| Calista Pierce, 11, Maplewood Elementary School, Townville |
| Emily Zauzmer, 14, Upper Dublin High School, Ft. Washington |
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Rhode Island |
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State Honorees: |
| Jessica Scales, 17, Westerly High School, Westerly |
| Cassandra Lin, 12, Westerly Middle School, Westerly |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Priya Ghosh, 18, South Kingstown High School, South Kingstown |
| Marina Palumbo, 15, East Greenwich High School, East Greenwich |
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South Carolina |
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State Honorees: |
| Amanda Thomas, 17, T.L. Hanna High School, Anderson |
| Christian Hanna, 12, Black Water Middle School, Conway |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Misty Dillard, 17, Boiling Springs High School, Boiling Springs |
| Jasmyn Howell, 17, Hilton Head Island High School, Hilton Head |
| Luben Ikonomov, 17, American Red Cross - Upstate South Carolina Chapter, Greenville |
| Lacey Jones, 18, Summerville Family YNCA, Summerville |
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South Dakota |
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State Honorees: |
| Mariah Nelson, 17, Mitchell Christian School, Mitchell |
| Kiera Leddy, 13, Milbank High School, Milbank |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Kayla Pochop, 17, T.F. Riggs High School, Pierre |
| Sarah Szymonski, 17, Vermillion High School, Vermillion |
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Tennessee |
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State Honorees: |
| Kendall Gilfillan, 17, Brentwood High School, Brentwood |
| Kaitlyn Fox, 11, East Lake Academy, Chattanooga |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Alyssa Dugger, 18, Waverly Central High School, Waverly |
| Samuel Felker, 18, The Ensworth School, Nashville |
| Somer Greene, 17, Hutchison School, Memphis |
| Alexander Schoelkopf, 18, Memphis University School, Memphis |
| Ryan Schumacher, 18, Chattanooga Area Food Bank, Chattanooga |
| Jason van der Merwe, 17, Christian Academy of Knoxville, Home Study Program, Knoxville |
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Texas |
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State Honorees: |
| Justin Churchman, 18, Coronado High School, El Paso |
| Sharon Li, 13, Berry Miller Jr. High School, Pearland |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Zoe Albert, 16, Allen High School, Allen |
| Jack Barker, 13, Coppell Middle School West, Coppell |
| Lauren Bothwell, 18, Harlingen South, Harlingen |
| Nichole Davidson, 18, Permian High School, Odessa |
| Colman Flemons, 17, Brazoswood High School, Clute |
| Blue Hybner, 18, Shiner Catholic School, Shiner |
| Tess Michaels, 17, Plano West Senior High School, Plano |
| Alexis Pala, 17, Churchill High School, San Antonio |
| Vivian Tang, 18, Clements High School, Sugar Land |
| Haley Whatley, 16, Birdville High School, North Richland Hills |
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Utah |
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State Honorees: |
| Aimee Matheson, 17, Clearfield High School, Clearfield |
| Colten Lee, 13, Freedom Academy K-8 Charter School, Provo |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Jessica Gunderson, 17, Girl Scouts of Utah, Salt Lake City |
| Mackinzie Hamilton, 17, Mountain Crest High School, Hyrum |
| Jeffrey Scott, 18, Judge Memorial Catholic High School, Salt Lake City |
| Liana Tan, 17, Granger High School, West Valley City |
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Vermont |
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State Honorees: |
| Luke Drabyn, 18, Burr and Burton Academy, Manchester |
| Katherine Ham, 13, Servants Heart Academy, Sheffield |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Cherise Madigan, 17, Mt. Anthony Union High School, Bennington |
| Lauren Waller, 17, Mill River Union High School, North Clarendon |
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Virginia |
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State Honorees: |
| Priya Krishnan, 17, Thomas Jefferson High School, Alexandria |
| Ethan Cruikshank, 11, Chickahominy Middle School, Mechanicsville |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Steven Blakely, 17, Osbourn Park High School, Manassas |
| Jasmine Brown, 17, Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast, Chesapeake |
| Margo Diehl, 18, Riverbend High School, Fredericksburg |
| Nicole Muller, 17, Western Albemarle High School, Crozet |
| Katharine Nylund, 17, Virginia Episcopal School, Lynchburg |
| Jane Willner, 17, Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital, Washington, D.C. |
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Washington |
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State Honorees: |
| Logan Melander, 16, Stadium High School, Tacoma |
| Justin Peterson, 10, Gess Elementary School, Chewelah |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Bryan Cargill, 18, Curtis High School, University Place |
| Robert Case, 13, Adna Middle High School, Adna |
| Jennifer Hodgman, 17, North Thurston High School, Lacey |
| Andrina MacDonald, 13, Meeker Middle School, Tacoma |
| Jesse Sheldon, 16, Spokane County United Way, Spokane |
| Sarah Smith, 16, Juanita High School, Kirkland |
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West Virginia |
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State Honorees: |
| Lauren Lanier, 17, Point Pleasant High School, Point Pleasant |
| Kambria Price, 10, C.W. Shipley Elementary School, Harpers Ferry |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Tori Boggs, 18, Parkersburg High School, Parkersburg |
| Chelsea Hessler, 18, Morgan County 4-H Extension Office, Berkeley Springs |
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Wisconsin |
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State Honorees: |
| Nikhitha Murali, 17, Ashwaubenon High School, Green Bay |
| Rachel Ley, 14, P.J. Jacobs Junior High School, Stevens Point |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Jawad Arshad, 17, Brookfield Academy, Brookfield |
| Dylan DeLisle, 17, Kettle Moraine High School, Wales |
| Maria Georgen, 17, Xavier High School, Appleton |
| Molly Harvey, 17, Monona Grove High School, Monona |
| Michelle Kass, 18, Cedarburg High School, Cedarburg |
| Shaun Stokes, 17, River Falls High School, River Falls |
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Wyoming |
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State Honorees: |
| Colt Rauterkus, 18, University of Wyoming Lincoln County 4-H Extension Office, Afton |
| Truman Cox, 12, Cody Middle School, Cody |
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Distinguished Finalists: |
| Jenny Beiermann, 17, Sublette County 4-H Extension Office, Pinedale |
| Shelby Kindsvater, 17, East High School, Cheyenne |
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