The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is on the hunt!

The Prudential Spirit of Community of Awards is searching for America’s top volunteers between the grades of 5-12 from now until November 8, 2016

Haley Commons, Staffers

Attention students of all grades! Have you made a meaningful contribution to your community through volunteer service within the past year? If so, as of now until November 8th, the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is searching for Colorado’s top youth volunteers.

 

Created in 1995 by Prudential and the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), this program recognizes students at the middle and high school levels for helping those in need, promoting health and safety, protecting the environment, or volunteering in other ways. Nicole Steiner, an eighteen-year-old from Parker, was Colorado’s top high school volunteer last year. She collected more than $40,000 worth of games, puzzles and books that she then donated to 15 cities throughout Colorado to organizations and individuals such as hospitalized children, veterans, kids with special needs, cancer patients, the elderly, the homeless and students from low-income families.

 

Local Honorees are selected in early November and presented with Certificates of Achievement from their school or organization. To qualify for the President’s Volunteer Service Award, you must have contributed a minimum number of volunteer hours (26 hours of service for ages 10 and younger, 50 hours for ages 11-15, and 100 hours for older students). Local Honorees are then reviewed by a state level judging committee, which then name the top two candidates from each state. State Honorees receive a $1,000 award, engraved silver medallions, and an all expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. for four days of recognition events. Distinguished Finalists at the state level will receive bronze medallions, and runners-up will receive Certificates of Excellence. Out of the 102 State Honorees, 10 are then named National Honorees by a distinguished panel of public figures. These National Honorees will receive an additional award of $5,000, an engraved gold medallion, a crystal trophy for their schools or nominating organizations, and a $5,000 grant from The Prudential Foundation for a nonprofit charitable organization of their choice.

 

Does potentially earning over $5,000 for your service sound interesting to you? To apply for the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards you must complete the application, which can be found at http://spirit.prudential.com, with a parent by the the November 8, 2016 deadline. Deliver instructions to your certifier, school principal, Mr. Puga, by November 8, 2016. To get the instructions, go to the “Certification” page to either email or print out them out. From there, your certifier has until November 18th to review applications and select local honorees and nominate them for state-level judging.
So if you have made a meaningful contribution to your community within the past twelve months, consider applying for a truly unique award. Get recognized for your kindness. Serve as an inspiration to others. Continue to offer your help and support. And to quote our favorite school principal, Mr. Chuck Puga, “Take care of yourself. Take care of eachother. Take care of Smoky Hill, and take care of our community.¨