LITTLE ROCK, Ark.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Abigail Gates, 18, of Clinton and Leyton Gassaway, 12, of Paragould today were named Arkansas' top two youth volunteers for 2011 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The awards program, now in its 16th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
Abigail was nominated by the University Of Arkansas Extension 4-H in Clinton, and Leyton was nominated by Crowley's Ridge Academy in Paragould. As State Honorees, each will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expense-paid trip in early May to Washington, D.C., where they will join the top two honorees from each of the other states and the District of Columbia for several days of national recognition events. Ten of them will be named America’s top youth volunteers for 2011 at that time.
Abigail, a senior at Clinton High School, founded an annual equestrian event in her county that raised more than $20,000 for the American Cancer Society in its first two years. Faced with the challenge of choosing a volunteer project as a member of a community-service class at her school, Abigail thought about her grandmother, who had loved and rode horses her entire life before dying of brain cancer the previous summer. Then, after hearing about a California horse-riding event that raises money to fight cancer, she decided to attempt a similar fund-raiser in her county. “I have seen firsthand what cancer can do it its victims, even a spirited, courageous and independent woman such as my grandmother,” said Abigail. “No one should have to suffer the pain that cancer causes.”
Abigail’s “Ride for Life” is modeled after the many Relay for Life events conducted annually for the American Cancer Society. She obtained the society’s approval of her idea, and recruited school faculty, community members, and a few of her peers to serve on a committee that would help her carry out her plan. They found a location for the event, put together an agenda, distributed flyers and brochures, sent invitations to horse clubs and associations in Arkansas, recruited horse-riding teams, and solicited corporate sponsorships. The first Ride for Life in 2009 raised more than $6,000, and last year’s event brought in nearly $15,000. The event will continue to be held annually, managed by students at her high school after she graduates. “Everyone is touched by cancer, just as everyone will be benefited by money that is raised for the American Cancer Society,” said Abigail.
Leyton, a seventh-grader at Crowley’s Ridge Academy, designed a 2.2-mile “history trail” along the sidewalks of her town that tells the story of its rich and diverse past through a brochure and building plaques. After visiting many historic sites in Arkansas with her family, Leyton realized that her town should have a way to share its history with residents and visitors. “I created the Paragould History Trail to tell the city’s story of growth and expansion from its beginning,” she explained.
Leyton selected 18 structures to feature on her handicapped-accessible trail, including residences, businesses, churches, and government buildings, that showcase all aspects of Paragould’s history. She spent countless hours researching them by conducting personal interviews and poring over old newspapers and court documents. She then took photographs and map coordinates of each building, and compiled all of her information into a 13-page brochure. Costs for printing the brochure were funded by local businesses. The brochure is offered free of charge through the Greene County Museum to anyone who wants to walk the trail. Leyton also designed a souvenir patch and raised money to produce an initial quantity to be sold at the museum. In addition, plaques designating each historic structure along the trail will be presented to the property owners. “Everyone who completes the trail leaves with a better sense of community awareness and appreciation,” said Leyton.
In addition, the program judges recognized four other Arkansas students as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion:
Mills Bryant, 13, of Morrilton, an eighth-grader at Morrilton Junior High School, raised $2,000 to support Special Olympics Arkansas by organizing a “Boots-N-Badges” fund-raiser with the local Walmart and police and fire departments. Mills, who has volunteered with Special Olympics for many years, is also a bowling, power-lifting and basketball coach for special-needs athletes.
Whitney Condley, 17, of Russellville, a senior at Hector High School in Hector, is a spokesperson on the topic of preventing teen dating violence for the Arkansas Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Whitney applied her own experience as a victim of dating violence to create her campaign, “Be Safe the W.H.I.T. Way,” which provides teens with a dating bill of rights and a safe pledge card.
Hodge Hunter, 18, of Arkadelphia, a member of the Clark County 4-H and a senior at Arkansas School for Mathematics in Hot Springs, created the STEM day camp (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) four years ago that exposed more than 800 children to these subjects through fun, engaging activities. Hodge, who learned to love robotics and LEGO activities through his 4-H club, started the camp so that all children could enjoy and learn from these activities.
Melanie Morse, 17, of Benton, a senior at Benton High School, helped raise $25,000 to build a home for an underprivileged family as the president of her Habitat for Humanity Youth United chapter and chairperson of the Habitat Youth Build. Melanie hosted several fund-raisers, wrote grant applications, spearheaded a team of volunteers, and helped build the house, which took two years to complete.
“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.”
“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.”
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 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.
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 John Strangfeld of Prudential; Jana Frieler, president of NASSP; Michelle Nunn, president and CEO of the Points of Light Institute & Hands On 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 be distributing 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 nationwide have been honored at the local, state or national level. Many prominent public figures have assisted in saluting these honorees over the years, including 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.
For information on all of this year’s Prudential Spirit of Community State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists, visit spirit.prudential.com or www.nassp.org/spirit.
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.
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Editors: Graphics depicting the award program’s logo and medallions may be downloaded from spirit.prudential.com.