HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alexandra Minutillo, 15, of Madison and Emily Christensen, 13, of Manchester today were named Connecticut'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. Alexandra was nominated by Daniel Hand High School in Madison, and Emily was nominated by Illing Middle School in Manchester. 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).
Alexandra, a sophomore at Daniel Hand High School, formed a nonprofit organization and school club that have raised more than $10,000 to buy gifts for teenage patients at Smilow Cancer Hospital. Watching her grandparents struggle with cancer, Alexandra saw first-hand how draining the experience can be. When she started high school, she decided she wanted to do something for young people undergoing cancer treatment. Through conversations with cancer specialists at Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital, she learned that most donations for young cancer patients are intended for pre-school and grade-school youngsters. So she decided to focus on “the often-invisible teen population” and “provide age-specific items for these patients as they struggle with treatment and hospitalization,” said Alexandra.
After forming a nonprofit called “Smiles for Smilow,” Alexandra started a club at her high school that now has more than 40 members. Then she got to work planning fundraisers, publicizing them through social media and a website she created. Thus far, the club has had bake sales, sold novelty items, and solicited donations at shopping areas, local football games and parades. Alexandra also speaks often to civic groups about donating to her cause. Among the items she has purchased with her proceeds are a media cabinet for the cancer center’s teen recreation area, a notebook computer and gift cards. “We have been able to accomplish something that changes people’s lives,” said Alexandra.
Emily, an eighth-grader at Illing Middle School, has raised more than $85,000 to benefit young cancer patients and their families by selling recycled crayons formed into interesting shapes and sizes. When Emily was 6 years old, she lost her 4-year-old friend TJ to cancer. Coincidentally, a few weeks later, her church challenged its members to do something to help someone in need. The very next day, the crossing guard at Emily’s school handed her a bag of old crayons her children had outgrown. That sparked a memory of a craft project in preschool in which old crayons had been melted and poured into molds. “I had an idea of making crayons into different shapes and putting them into a cute little package to raise money,” Emily said. “TJ was my best friend and I had to help him live on somehow.”
With the help of her family, Emily began peeling crayons, melting them, and then placing them in different-shaped molds. Her initial goal was to raise $200 for a local hospital to help the families of young cancer patients pay for things insurance does not cover, such as hospital parking and meals, as well as to buy small gifts for the ill youngsters. Now, seven years later, “Crayons for Cancer” is a nonprofit organization that provides funds to assist families in several states. Although Emily still spends time everyday making her wax creations, she has a cadre of volunteers from schools, clubs, churches and service organizations crafting and packaging her crayons, which she then sells through her website and at local events. She also has partnered with several businesses and frequently speaks in front of large groups to get the word out. Emily estimates that her group has helped at least 4,000 families over the years.
As State Honorees, Alexandra and Emily 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 four other Connecticut students as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion.
These are Connecticut's Distinguished Finalists for 2016:
Meghana Kandarpa, 14, of Southington, Conn., a freshman at CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering Middle & High School, joined with five of her friends to create the “Power of Peace (POP),” a project that has raised $34,300 since its inception in 2013 to support orphaned children and struggling seniors living in a shelter in India. Meghana and her fellow POP members have hosted talent shows, dinners and other events to raise the funds, which also benefit local organizations including the Connecticut Children's Medical Center and FoodShare.
Wesley Neves, 17, of Danbury, Conn., a senior at Danbury High School, is an active member of his youth group, which has performed a good amount of service for area homeless shelters, churches, hospitals and schools. On his numerous service trips, Wesley distributes gifts to children and plays with them, and visits with patients in the hospital to keep them company.
Danielle Ott, 16, of Guilford, Conn., a junior at Guilford High School, co-chaired a school coalition that featured a substance abuse awareness program called the THP Purple Initiative, for which Danielle and her team worked with local business and civic organizations to paint the town purple. Danielle, whose work with the coalition drew from her desire to prove to other kids that most teens do not abuse alcohol or drugs, helped organize a culminating event for 800 students that featured a presentation by former NBA player and THP Purple Initiative founder Chris Herren.
Daniel Ruskin, 17, of Westport, Conn., a senior at the Academy of Information Technology and Engineering, has been volunteering with the Westport Library for the past three years, helping to teach members of the community how to use the library’s 3D printer. During that time, Daniel served as the only student representative on a grant advisory board and helped lead the implementation of an expanded 3D printer program.
“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
