WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Virginia's top two youth volunteers of 2015, Emma Buchanan, 18, of Glade Spring and Thomas (Tucker) Durham, 13, of Glen Allen, were honored in the nation’s capital last night for their outstanding volunteer service during the 20th annual presentation of The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. Emma and Tucker – along with 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country – each received $1,000 awards and personal congratulations from “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts at an award ceremony and gala dinner reception held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), named Emma and Tucker Virginia's top high school and middle level youth volunteers in February. In addition to their cash awards, they each received an engraved silver medallion and an all-expense-paid trip with a parent to Washington, D.C., for four days of recognition events.
Emma, a senior at Patrick Henry High School, has been a student ambassador for a national in-school nutrition and physical activity program since 2009, and in conjunction with that role, won a $4,000 grant to implement a health and wellness class for her community. Starting in seventh grade, Emma began working with the National Dairy Association and National Football League’s “Fuel Up to Play 60” program, encouraging student involvement in her school and speaking at more than 30 national events.
A few years later, the program’s sponsors invited student leaders to propose ideas for new health initiatives in their communities. Emma immediately started thinking about the needs in her area. “The people of southwest Virginia have been taught since birth that food must be deep-fried and plates must be cleaned,” said Emma. “I decided the best way to shape my program was in the form of a health and wellness community-wide class.” Her proposal won a $4,000 grant and a chance to get face-to-face advice from Warren Buffett. She used the money to host free monthly “family health nights” featuring lessons on healthy living, guest speakers, meals prepared by a local chef, and health-related prizes. “I was able to teach over 100 community members how a healthy life can be accomplished at a small price,” said Emma.
Tucker, an eighth-grader at Holman Middle School, helped his family raise almost $14,000 last year for a local cancer center by participating in a 10K race and by assisting with a yard sale, a donut breakfast and a pizza lunch. Tucker and his family began fund-raising to combat cancer after the death of his grandfather from melanoma in 2010. “Losing him was hard for me and helping the fight against cancer has become an important cause for my family,” he said. His family raised $6,000 in 2013, but last year wanted to double the amount. “We knew it would be hard work, and my mom needed extra help to make it happen,” said Tucker. So he decided to take a greater role in his family’s fundraising efforts for Massey Cancer Center.
To attract donations, Tucker posted messages on the family’s website and on his Facebook page, helped write letters and emails to potential donors, and sought interviews with local radio, television and newspaper reporters. Tucker and his mother also coordinated a yard sale, donut breakfast and pizza lunch. More than 100 individuals supported his family’s efforts last year, Tucker said. “One hundred percent of the funds we raised will go towards cancer research, treatment and support at Massey Cancer Center,” he said. “When people hear about fighting cancer, most people are willing to give a donation and even if it’s only five or ten dollars, it all adds up.”
“As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, we are delighted to recognize the 2015 honorees for their exemplary volunteer service,” said John Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc. “These young people have demonstrated leadership, compassion and perseverance, and we look forward to seeing all they accomplish in the future.”
“These honorees represent the best of what America’s youth have to offer,” said G.A. Buie, president of NASSP. “They have set a powerful example for their peers by proving that one young person really can make a difference, and it is a privilege to shine a spotlight on their good works.”
Youth volunteers in grades 5-12 were invited to apply for 2015 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards last fall through schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and affiliates of the HandsOn Network. More than 33,000 middle level and high school students nationwide participated in this year’s program.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program was created in 1995 to identify and recognize young people for outstanding volunteer service – and, in so doing, inspire others to volunteer, too. In the past 20 years, the program has honored more than 100,000 young volunteers at the local, state and national level.
For more information about The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards and this year’s honorees, 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
For B-roll of Virginia's honorees at the 2015 national recognition events, contact Prudential’s Harold Banks at (973) 216-4833 or harold.banks@prudential.com.
