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

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kelby Czerwonka, 17, of West Plains and Taylor Black, 13, of Warrensburg today were named Missouri'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. Kelby was nominated by West Plains High School in West Plains, and Taylor was nominated by Warrensburg Middle School in Warrensburg. 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 try to be a good role model for other girls”

Kelby, a senior at West Plains High School, created a mentoring program focused on volunteerism for middle level students from 10 local schools, and then led them in two fundraising drives that collected more than $7,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Children’s Miracle Network. “I have always been passionate about being a positive role model for those younger than me,” said Kelby. But two years ago, her experience as a camp counselor to 20 young girls persuaded her that she should become a mentor as well.

Last year, Kelby recruited seventh- and eighth-graders from 10 area schools and challenged them to come up with ideas on how to raise money for St. Jude. “The ideas that these students came up with amazed me,” she said. Activities such as selling the right to wear blue jeans in school and selling paper hearts to decorate and sign raised more than $4,000 for the children’s hospital in just two weeks. Through these activities, the volunteers developed “a new passion for volunteerism and helping others,” Kelby said. A few months later, Kelby guided her young protégés in a fundraising campaign that asked area businesses to “adopt” classrooms and donate one dollar for every class member to the Children’s Miracle Network. More than $3,000 was raised in one week. “I was more than inspired by these hardworking students,” said Kelby. They “were able to learn an important lesson about volunteerism: you are never too young to make an impact.”

Taylor, a seventh-grader at Warrensburg Middle School, hosts a monthly “game night” for kids to raise money for a variety of charities. An avid golfer, Taylor witnessed a simple act of generosity one day on a practice driving range, and decided that she, too, would like to help others. She investigated service opportunities such as volunteering at a hospital, but was told that she was too young. So, Taylor resolved to start her own project: a charity club that would employ fun and games to make a difference.

At Taylor’s “Game Night for Charity” events, kids from 11 to 14 years old make small donations to play board games, and then the winner gets to choose a charity that will receive that evening’s donations. Taylor’s events have benefited an animal shelter, cancer foundation, children’s hospital, women’s center, youth sports program, and a local girl with bone cancer. Taylor and her fellow philanthropists also work on other service projects, such as selling handmade calendars for charity and picking up trash on school grounds. “I try to be a good role model for other girls,” said Taylor. “Part of that means bringing awareness to charities that need our help.”

As State Honorees, Kelby and Taylor 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 six other Missouri students as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion:

Jessie Fowler, 17, of Vandalia, Mo., a member of the Missouri 4-H and a senior at Van-Far Junior/Senior High School, is an active community leader who serves on the council of the Missouri State 4-H. Jessie is also an Awana’s leader, where she teaches scripture to kindergarten children.

Olivia Gammill, 11, of Nixa, Mo., a sixth-grader at Summit Intermediate School, has raised more than $1,000 since 2007 to benefit the local C.A.R.E. animal shelter with her “Trails 4 Trails” project. Olivia organizes a dog walk with a costume contest, creates and posts flyers, solicits donations, and makes and sells dog treats at the event.

Madison Howard, 18, of O’Fallon, Mo., a senior at Fort Zumwalt North High School, founded “Warm a Heart,” a project that provides blankets to the homeless. Madison, who was motivated to give back to the community by her best friend’s suicide, also started the “Cheer Up” campaign to educate teens about cyber bullying and teen suicide.

Shelbie Kirkendoll, 18, of Kearney, Mo., a senior at Kearney High School, sponsored a “Strike Out Cancer” softball game and raised more than $1,100 to benefit the American Cancer Society. Shelbie, motivated by the loss of both of her grandfathers to cancer, solicited donations, gathered raffle prizes, designed and sold T-shirts and helped promote the game through media interviews.

Kayla Schrimshaw, 17, of Independence, Mo., a senior at William Chrisman High School, coordinated her school’s first-ever prom for students with special needs. Kayla, who is president of her school’s Special Olympics chapter, raised more than $7,000 in donations to offset the cost of the event, which will now become an annual party.

Edward Tooley, 17, of St. Louis, Mo., a senior at the St. Louis Priory School, helped to send meals to sub-Saharan Africa and raise awareness about world hunger by serving on the World Food Day Junior Board. Edward supported the event by filming and narrating a promotional video, raising more than $1,200 through two dress-down days at his school, and chairing a high school food packaging subcommittee.

“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.