DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Samuel Sexe,
18, of Humboldt and Raegan Junge, 14, of Keystone today were named Iowa's top two youth volunteers of 2019 by The
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program
honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. As
State Honorees, Samuel and Raegan 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 2019.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, now in its
24th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in
partnership with the National Association of Secondary School
Principals (NASSP).
These are Iowa's top youth
volunteers of 2019:
High School State Honoree: Samuel Sexe
Nominated by Humboldt High
School
Samuel, a senior at Humboldt High School, has responded to more
than 200 service calls as a volunteer emergency medical technician
in his rural community since completing the rigorous training
required to become a member of the Humboldt County Memorial
Hospital EMS squad. Samuel is carrying on a family tradition: His
father has served as an EMT for more than 30 years, and all three
of his siblings are EMTs as well. "I knew from my father's
experience the lifelong impact an EMT can have," Samuel said. "I
have many memories as a kid of some of his former patients stopping
him in a grocery store or coming up to him at a restaurant to thank
him for his service."
As soon as he turned 17, the minimum age to become an EMT in
Iowa, Samuel began riding along on
EMS calls to observe and help with non-technical tasks. At the same
time, he enrolled in a five-month EMT program at a local community
college, attending four-hour night classes two or three times a
week while keeping up with his high school studies. At the end of
the class, he had to pass three challenging tests in order to
become certified. The following summer, Samuel spent 40 hours a
week on his EMT duties, helping with everything from simple
transports to multiple-casualty car accidents. Now, while in
school, he has permission from his principal to respond to
emergency calls during the school day if necessary. "There is a
national shortage of EMTs, which especially affects rural services
such as our own," noted Samuel. "I felt that becoming an EMT would
be very beneficial to the
community."
Middle Level State Honoree: Raegan Junge
Nominated by Benton Community Schools
Raegan, an eighth-grader at Benton Community Schools, has raised nearly
$50,000 over the past seven years to
send relief supplies to victims of natural disasters across
the United States and overseas,
and to provide homeless veterans with essential items and an annual
Christmas party. When she was 6, Raegan saw an elderly couple on TV
who had just lost their home to a tornado in Joplin, Missouri. "I felt that I had to do
something to help," she said. She began making beaded bracelets and
setting them out at local stores, soliciting donations. When she
had accumulated $1,600, Raegan and
her family drove for eight hours to deliver the money to the
homeless couple in Missouri. After
seeing the destruction and despair in Joplin, "I knew this was something I wanted to
continue to do," said Raegan.
She ramped up her bracelet-making initiative, and raised
additional funds by seeking sponsors and hosting garage sales and
other fundraising activities. With the support of friends,
classmates, 4-Hers and members of her community, Raegan acquired
hygiene items, flashlights, batteries, gloves, diapers, clothes and
other things needed after disasters strike, and began shipping
packages to places devastated by Mother Nature. With money left
over, she purchased tents, blankets, hand-warmers, shoes and other
items for veterans living on the streets or in shelters. She also
throws a holiday party for local vets each year, complete with gift
bags and a traditional Christmas dinner. "After almost eight years
of helping, I have learned anything is possible," said Raegan.
Distinguished Finalists
The program judges also recognized four other Iowa students
as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service
activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion.
These are Iowa's Distinguished
Finalists for 2019:
Akash Gururaja, 17, of
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a
senior at Linn-Mar High School,
co-founded "Carnatic for a Cause," an organization that has raised
more than $24,000 for community
causes since 2015 by organizing a series of performances featuring
young artists. The initiative, which has featured 75 performers at
events in five cities, has benefited causes ranging from a local
women and children's center to flood victims in Chennai, India.
Andee Joos, 18, of
Mingo, Iowa, a senior at
Baxter High School, is arranging to rescue and transport unsold,
but still viable, produce and bakery items from her local grocery
store to the Carlisle High School community pantry. Andee, who
since 2015 has collected $5,000 to
fight hunger through CROP Walk fundraising, is now arranging for
volunteers to make deliveries to the pantry for her latest
initiative--enriching the food options available to neighbors in
need while reducing food waste.
Caroline McAlexander, 17, of
Ellston, Iowa, a senior
at Mount Ayr High School, has traveled throughout Iowa and taken to social media to inspire
hundreds of elementary school students with her message of "Be
Y.O.U." (Youthful, Observant and Unique). Motivated by the death of
a close friend, Caroline created the educational program to
encourage students to feel loved, to be kind, and to be comfortable
stepping beyond traditional boundaries so they can truly be
themselves.
Noah Wille, 17, of
Polk City, Iowa, a senior
at North Polk High School, created "Ornaments for Outreach,"
recruiting his friends to help transform plain wooden paint
stirrers into Christmas decorations they sell to raise money for
buying supplies for a local homeless shelter. He has raised more
than $2,000 in two years and, in 2018
alone, bought and prepared 500 care packages with food and hygiene
items to help the homeless and hungry of Des Moines.
"These young volunteers learned and demonstrated that they
can make meaningful contributions to individuals and
communities through their service," said Prudential CEO
Charles Lowrey. "It's an honor to
recognize their great work, and we hope that shining a spotlight on
their service inspires others to consider how they might make a
difference."
"Each of these honorees is proof that students have the energy,
creativity and unique perspectives to create positive change," said
JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director
of NASSP. "We commend each of the 2019 honorees for their
outstanding volunteer service, and for the invaluable example
they've set for their peers."
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 Points of Light's HandsOn
Network, 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 6, 10 of the
State Honorees – five middle level and five high school students –
will be named America's top youth volunteers of 2019. 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 125,000 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.
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 principals and other
school leaders across the United
States. NASSP seeks to transform education through school
leadership, recognizing that the fulfillment of each student's
potential relies on great leaders in every school committed to the
success of each student. 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 Student Council. Learn
more at 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.
For Spirit of Community Awards
program logo and medallion
graphics, please visit
https://spirit.prudential.com/resources/media
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iowas-top-youth-volunteers-of-2019-selected-by-national-program-300788203.html
SOURCE Prudential Financial, Inc.