PROVIDENCE, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Zachary Librizzi, 17, of Warwick and Sarah Coutu, 12, of Pawtucket today were named Rhode Island's top two youth volunteers of 2016 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. Zachary was nominated by Saint Raphael Academy in Pawtucket, and Sarah was nominated by St. Cecilia School in Pawtucket. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, now in its 21st year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
Zachary, a senior at Saint Raphael Academy, has helped his family raise more than $1 million for diabetes research through an annual charity golf tournament, and has generated an additional $75,000 on his own by leading a team each year in a fundraising walk. Zach, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was 10 months old, was so sick of needle injections by the time he was 2-1/2 that he tearfully pleaded with his father to “take my diabetes away.” His parents responded by organizing a golf tournament to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
Within a few years, Zach began speaking at the event, addressing up to 200 tournament attendees about the need to cure diabetes. As he got older, Zach took on an increasingly important role in the golf tournament’s fundraising activities. He also led a walk team that has raised funds for JDRF for the past 14 years, and has garnered additional support for the foundation at hockey events. Zach has mentored newly diagnosed children, too, as a camp counselor. “There might not be a cure just yet, but many advances have taken place over the years and have helped thousands of people with diabetes live their lives a little easier,” he said. The funds he and his family have raised, he added, “I know will help find a cure in my lifetime.”
Sarah, a sixth-grader at St. Cecilia School, makes and sells a variety of craft items to buy supplies for animals at four privately funded no-kill shelters. “I have always had a special passion for animals,” said Sarah. “It’s so sad going into shelters and seeing so many animals who are homeless and are alone in the world.” Since she also has been an avid crafter all her life, Sarah decided she could combine her two passions in a project she calls “Paws for Life.”
She began by asking her principal if she could sell some of her creations at school. Soon, she was carting as many as five overflowing bags to school everyday, containing homemade bracelets, necklaces, earrings, headbands, throw pillows and cat and dog toys. Sarah also has held raffles at school, requested donations instead of gifts on birthdays, sold her crafts at community events, and opened an online shop on Etsy.com. Working on her business for about 15 hours a week, she so far has been able to purchase approximately $1,500 worth of supplies for animal shelters. In addition, she organized an after-school club to engage fellow students in ways to prevent animal abuse and homelessness. “I believe I can change the world if I try hard enough,” said Sarah.
As State Honorees, Zachary and Sarah 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 four days of national recognition events. During the trip, 10 students will be named America’s top youth volunteers of 2016.
Distinguished Finalists
The program judges also recognized two other Rhode Island students as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion.
These are Rhode Island's Distinguished Finalists for 2016:
Zach Ribas, 17, of Wakefield, R.I., a junior at South Kingstown High School, is a volunteer emergency services provider for South County Hospital and the Charlestown Ambulance Rescue, as well as a volunteer member of the National Ski Patrol and Union Fire District. Zach, who began training for his numerous volunteer positions in 2013 and has also helped to raise $4,500 to support the programs, transports patients, assists medical personnel, and responds to fire calls and other incidents.
Robbie Thorp, 18, of Cumberland, R.I., a senior at Cumberland High School, has helped to raise $10,000 to support epilepsy research as the co-chair of the Rhode Island Walk for Epilepsy since 2013. Robbie, who was diagnosed with three types of epilepsy when he was 10 years old, has also coordinated epilepsy awareness activities at his school and in his town, and advocates for people with epilepsy in the nation’s capital as Rhode Island’s Teen Advocate and the New England Teen Epilepsy Ambassador.
“Prudential commends each of these young volunteers for using their creativity and compassion to bring positive change to their communities,” said Prudential Chairman and CEO John Strangfeld. “We hope their stories inspire others to consider how they can make a difference, too.”
“We are pleased to honor these students not only for their exemplary acts of service, but for the powerful example they’ve set for their peers,” said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP. “Congratulations to each of the 2016 honorees.”
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. These 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 2, 10 of the State Honorees – five middle level and five high school students – will be named America’s top youth volunteers of 2016. 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 115,000 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, India, China and Brazil. 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.
For information on all of this year’s Prudential Spirit of Community State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists, visit http://spirit.prudential.com or www.nassp.org/spirit.
About NASSP
The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the leading organization of and voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and school leaders from across the United States and 35 countries around the world. The association connects and engages school leaders through advocacy, research, education, and student programs. NASSP advocates on behalf of all school leaders to ensure the success of each student and strengthens school leadership practices through the design and delivery of high quality professional learning experiences. Reflecting its long-standing commitment to student leadership development, 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. (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 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
