Connecticut's Top Two Youth Volunteers Selected in 17th Annual National Awards Program

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sanam Rastegar, 17, of Weston and Patrick Briscoe, 13, of Newtown today were named Connecticut's top two youth volunteers for 2012 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. Sanam was nominated by Hopkins School in New Haven, and Patrick was nominated by St. Rose of Lima School in Newtown. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, now in its 17th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

“I saw that it only took $100 to sponsor a cobblestone at the memorial”

Sanam, a senior at Hopkins School, initiated an annual jump-roping fundraiser at her school that has generated more than $100,000 for Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang Camp for children with serious diseases. When she was in sixth grade, Sanam’s teacher promised her class a night of no homework if they would participate in a school fundraiser for the camp. For two weeks, Sanam raked leaves, washed dishes, contacted businesses, and asked for donations outside of local supermarkets. She ended up collecting $10,000, and Paul Newman himself came to the school to extend his congratulations. “As I looked into his blue eyes, I felt he was passing the torch to the younger generation to carry out his mission,” said Sanam.

Sanam started a new school in seventh grade, but did not want to let go of the camp. She persuaded school officials to allow her to hold a “Hop-A-Thon” where students would ask donors to sponsor them as they jumped rope. The event soon gained a permanent place on the school calendar, and over the past five years, it has attracted support from hundreds of students and community members, and raised enough money to give more than 40 kids the chance to forget about their illnesses for a week and just have fun in a magical summer camp experience. Sanam also started a sailing program at the camp, and was recently named a junior ambassador. “I look forward to continue sharing my love for the camp with others,” said Sanam.

Patrick, an eighth-grader at St. Rose of Lima School, conducted a penny collection drive that raised more than $1,200 to purchase two cobblestones and a granite paver on behalf of his town at the National 9/11 Memorial in New York City. Patrick’s parents and grandfather used to work in the World Trade Center, and many people in his area lost loved ones in the 2001 terrorist attacks. So, when he learned that someone had anonymously donated $10,000 to the National 9/11 Memorial, he was inspired to find out more about the project. On the memorial’s website, “I saw that it only took $100 to sponsor a cobblestone at the memorial,” Patrick said. “I came up with the idea to raise 10,000 pennies so that my hometown would be represented.”

To solicit donations for his “Forget Me Not Pennies 9/11 Memorial Fund,” Patrick decorated more than 20 coffee tins and sought permission to display them from his school principal, the Newtown library director and local business owners. Every week, he emptied the tins and counted the pennies. After the local newspaper and FOX News ran stories about Patrick’s efforts, his fundraising proceeds increased significantly. When his total passed 120,000 pennies, Patrick used the money to sponsor two cobblestones and a paver at the memorial, and visited the site last September to view his contributions. “I am proud that my town is part of this historical memorial,” said Patrick. “I hope every American has the opportunity to visit the memorial.”

As State Honorees, Sanam and Patrick 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 2012 at that time.

Distinguished Finalists

In addition, the program judges recognized four other Connecticut students as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion:

Alison Centorino, 18, of Cheshire, Conn., a senior at Cheshire High School, was only 6 years old when she co-founded the “CUREchief Foundation,” a nonprofit organization that has provided more than 300,000 comfortable kerchief-style head coverings to people undergoing cancer treatment. In addition to making and distributing the CUREchiefs, promoting the program, and recruiting thousands of volunteers country-wide, Alison has started an “Instant Message” program to distribute words of inspiration to help connect people from different walks of life.

Emily Dzialo, 17, of Middlefield, Conn., a senior at Mercy High School, has raised more than $40,000 over the past seven years to benefit the March of Dimes, and has been named the fourth largest youth fundraiser on behalf of the organization in the United States. Emily has raised the funds by writing countless letters, going door-to-door and securing corporate sponsorships for her participation in the annual March of Dimes Walk for Babies.

Rebecca Lazarus, 17, of Windsor, Conn., a senior at Windsor High School, founded the Connecticut chapter of COLAGE (Children of Lesbian and Gays Everywhere) when she was only 9 years old, and has recently been elected as the only youth member to the National Executive Board of the organization. In her role, Rebecca is helping to change policy regarding gay rights, speaking publicly regarding marriage equality, and working as a camp counselor and elected delegate for Anytown, a social justice camp for high school students.

Katrina McGlynn, 14, of Columbia, Conn., an eighth-grader at Horace W. Porter School, has raised nearly $10,000 for various charities through a service group she founded called, “Friendz Making a Difference.” Katrina, inspired by the scenes of poverty in the movie, “Slumdog Millionaire,” organized craft sales and talent shows to support rescue animals and pediatric patients at a local hospital.

“Through their selfless acts of service, these award recipients have greatly improved the lives of others,” said Prudential Chairman and CEO John Strangfeld. “We hope their stories and their dedication inspire other young people to do the same.”

"We are so pleased to celebrate these student volunteers,” said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP. “It’s important to highlight them as powerful examples of how young people can make a difference."

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 affiliates of HandsOn Network, were eligible to select a student or member for a local Prudential Spirit of Community Award. More than 5,000 Local Honorees were then reviewed by an independent judging panel, which selected State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists based on criteria including personal initiative, creativity, 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, 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 7. 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.

Since the program began in 1995, more than 100,000 young volunteers nationwide have been honored by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards at the local, state or national level. The program also is conducted by Prudential subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Ireland and India. 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 spirit.prudential.com or www.nassp.org/spirit.

About NASSP

NASSP 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.

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, 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/.

Editors: Graphics depicting the award program’s logo and medallions may be downloaded from spirit.prudential.com.