WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oregon’s top two youth volunteers of the year, Alexander Stork, 18, of Klamath Falls and Chloe Staten, 14, of Medford, were honored in the nation’s capital last night for their outstanding volunteer service during the presentation of The 2012 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. The two young people – along with 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country – received $1,000 awards as well as personal congratulations from New York Giants quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning at the 17th annual award ceremony and gala dinner reception, held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
Alexander and Chloe were named the top high school and middle level youth volunteers in Oregon in February. In addition to their cash awards, they received engraved silver medallions and an all-expense-paid trip with their parents to Washington, D.C., for this week’s recognition events.
Alexander, a senior at Klamath Union High School, co-founded a youth advisory board that supports and promotes the local activities of a statewide child literacy program called SMART (“Start Making a Reader Today”). Alexander and 44 other teen board members read one-on-one to young children who need help with literacy skills, and serve as positive role models for these youngsters. Group members also function as program advocates in the community, and actively assist with fundraising activities, performing tasks such as decorating and cleaning up event venues, setting up silent auctions, stuffing mailings and soliciting sponsors.
Recently, Alexander’s board created and hosted two very successful community-wide events in partnership with a local book store to raise awareness of SMART, recruit volunteer readers and show kids how exciting reading can be. The group dressed up as superheroes and other characters from beloved storybooks, and invited children to come and mingle with them. Approximately 1,500 kids and their families turned out for the events. “In freezing temps there was a line three blocks long waiting for access into the bookstore to meet the swell SMART superheroes!,” said Alexander. At a time of “stinging” school budget cuts, the youth advisory board has played a key role in educating the community about the critical need for the SMART program, he said.
Chloe, an eighth-grader at Talent Middle School, raises money and recruits volunteers to help children with cancer and their families. As a former cancer patient herself, Chloe knows firsthand what it’s like to be dealt this devastating blow. “When I was diagnosed with cancer, as an almost 11-year-old, my instant thought was, ‘I don’t want to die!’” said Chloe. “Through having cancer, I have been able to reach out to other children with cancer.”
A year after her diagnosis, Chloe started working to help make life better for other young cancer patients. She has spoken at a torch relay to motivate 1,500 children to raise money for a children’s hospital in Portland, and has participated in the Children’s Miracle Network Radiothon by giving interviews as a cancer survivor and answering pledge calls. Chloe also sews scarves to raise money for families whose children are undergoing cancer treatment, brings goodies to hospitalized children, and helps organize holiday parties and other special events for them. Last year she spearheaded an effort at her school to make hats for a boy with cancer and raised $1,000 toward his expenses. “I love knowing that I am helping other kids who went through similar things that I did,” said Chloe. “I feel that it helps to take away some of their fear.”
“Through their extraordinary acts of volunteerism, these students are powerful examples of the way one young person can make a big impact,” said John R. Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc. “We are proud to honor them for their achievements, and hope their stories inspire others to consider how they, too, can make a difference.”
More than 26,000 young people participated in the 2012 awards program last fall through schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and affiliates of the HandsOn Network. The top middle level and high school applicants in each state were selected in February, and flown to Washington this week with their parents for four days of special recognition events.
Conducted in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards were created 17 years ago by Prudential Financial to encourage youth volunteerism and to identify and reward young role models. Since then, the program has honored more than 100,000 young volunteers at the local, state and national level.
“These young people have demonstrated remarkable leadership, selflessness and compassion, and they set a fine example for thousands of other students across the U.S. who want to make a difference,” said Ken Griffith, president of NASSP. “The actions of these young volunteers exemplify the best of what America’s youth have to offer.”
More information about The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards and this year’s honorees can be found at http://spirit.prudential.com or www.nassp.org/spirit.
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 45 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.
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 http://www.news.prudential.com/
[Editors: Full-color pictures of the Spirit of Community Awards program logo and medallions are available at http://spirit.prudential.com.]
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