Nebraska's Top Youth Volunteers Of 2020 Selected By National Program
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards honors Columbus and Lincoln students with $1,000, medallions and trip to nation's capital
Finalists also named in Omaha
LINCOLN, Neb., Feb. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Madeline Hudnall, 17, of Columbus and Sawyer Zeece, 13, of Lincoln today were named Nebraska's top two youth volunteers of 2020 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. As State Honorees, Madeline and Sawyer 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 2020.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, now in its 25th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
These are Nebraska's top youth volunteers of 2020:
High School State Honoree: Madeline Hudnall
Nominated by Columbus High School
Madeline, a senior at Columbus High School, has raised more than $72,000 for childhood cancer research in the 12 years that she's been hosting an annual lemonade stand. She also co-chaired a project to provide bedding for 33 children in need in her school district, helped clean up debris after a devastating flood, and has been an active participant in other 4-H service projects. Madeline said she's been inspired by her parents, teachers, coaches and mentors who do so much to make her town a good place to live. "What I've realized through volunteer work is how much of a ripple effect comes from volunteering," said Madeline. "This ripple can be witnessed by watching people feel loved, supported, inspired and connected."
When she was 6 years old, Madeline held her first "LemonSmiles Lemonade Stand" in her front yard after a friend was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. She now sells lemonade at three locations for three days at a time, with the help of a partner, family members and her 4-H club, and with guidance from Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF). Madeline has formed relationships with lemonade distributors, solicits stores for cookies and supplies, and secures sponsorships for T-shirts, caps, signage and materials. Last year alone she raised $17,300 for ALSF. In addition, Madeline was part of a group that applied for and won a $1,000 grant to purchase air mattresses, bedding and pillows for students who don't have their own beds. As a 4-H leader, she also volunteered to clean up a local farm after harsh weather last year, and has organized projects at a local homeless shelter, the county fair and a day camp.
Middle Level State Honoree: Sawyer Zeece
Nominated by Lux Middle School
Sawyer, an eighth-grader at Lux Middle School, volunteered last year at the summer camp of a local children's museum where she mentored a 6-year-old boy who is on the autism spectrum. Sawyer, who has always loved children, was looking for a way to occupy her time during the summer and at the same time do something that would make a difference in someone's life. So when she heard about the museum's camp, "I couldn't wait to fill out the application," she said. Her first day on the job, Sawyer noticed a quote painted on the museum's wall that would become the cornerstone of her time there: "Making one person smile can change the world – maybe not the whole world, but their world." By the end of the first day, "I set a goal for myself: to make one kid smile each day," she said.
Most of Sawyer's duties at the camp involved working with one child, with whom she developed a close bond. A typical day consisted of playing with the boy. Sometimes he would become overstimulated if the light was too bright or the noise level too high, so Sawyer had to learn techniques for calming him down. During their summer together, Sawyer read a lot about autism and began to develop a better understanding of how to accommodate the child. "There is no better feeling in the world than knowing you had a positive impact on someone's life," she said. Sawyer also volunteers for the museum during the school year, assisting with after-school clubs at several elementary schools and providing childcare services during special events.
Distinguished Finalists
The program judges also recognized two other Nebraska students as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion.
These are Nebraska's Distinguished Finalists for 2020:
Sage Kehr, 17, of Omaha, Nebraska, a senior at Omaha North High Magnet School, regularly volunteers his time as a part of his high school's student council; as co-fundraising officer and vice president, he helped raise more than $12,000 for the Make-A-Wish foundation and deliver more than 150 Thanksgiving dinners to families in need. Sage is also a member of the youth advisory board for Memories For Kids, a nonprofit for children who have a parent with terminal cancer.
Joseph Zhong, 16, of Omaha, Nebraska, a junior at Millard North High School, founded and runs "Joys of Music," an organization that connects young people and senior citizens through music; he and his group of 20 musicians have performed live music for more than 500 residents of senior living communities. Joseph, who plays the violin, was first inspired to start this organization in honor of his grandmother, who immigrated to the United States from China and helped raise him.
"In our 25th year of honoring young volunteers, we are as inspired as ever by the work students are doing to address the needs of a changing world," said Charles Lowrey, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc. "We hope that their resolve, their initiative and their perspectives on society's challenges move others to consider how they can make a difference, too."
"Middle level and high school students are doing remarkable things to shape the future of their communities through volunteer service. They inspire all students and schools to drive learning with real-world challenges," said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP. "Congratulations to each of the 2020 honorees – it's an honor to celebrate your commitment to creating positive change."
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 Points of Light Global Network members, 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 4, 10 of the State Honorees – five middle level and five high school students – will be named America's top youth volunteers of 2020. These National Honorees will receive additional $5,000 scholarships, gold medallions, crystal trophies and $5,000 grants from Prudential for nonprofit charitable organizations of their choice.
Since the program began in 1995, more than 130,000 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
SOURCE Prudential Financial, Inc.
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