Ohio's Top Youth Volunteers of 2021 Selected by National Program

NEWARK, N.J., Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jessica Chang, 16, of Hudson and Luke Sarver, 11, of Wheelersburg today were named Ohio's top youth volunteers of 2021 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, America's largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer service.

As State Honorees, Jessica and Luke will each receive a $2,500 scholarship, a silver medallion and an invitation to the program's virtual national recognition celebration in April, where 10 of the 102 State Honorees will be named America's top youth volunteers of the year. Those 10 National Honorees will earn an additional $5,000 scholarship, a gold medallion, a crystal trophy for their nominating organization and a $5,000 grant for a nonprofit charitable organization of their choice.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, conducted annually by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), honors students in grades 5-12 for making meaningful contributions to their communities through volunteer service.

"We created the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards 26 years ago to highlight and support the work of young people taking on the challenges of a changing world – a mission that rings truer than ever given the events of last year," said Charles Lowrey, Prudential's chairman and CEO. "We are proud to celebrate the vision and determination of Spirit of Community's Class of 2021, and all the ways they're making their communities safer, healthier and more equitable places to live."

These are Ohio's top youth volunteers of 2021:

High School State Honoree: Jessica Chang
Nominated by Hathaway Brown School

Jessica, a senior at Hathaway Brown School, created a youth organization that is working to promote civics education among middle-level and high school students across the country. As the first American citizen in her family, Jessica has a strong interest in civics and politics. So when she volunteered to tutor middle schoolers, "I was shocked by the level of disengagement of my students," she said. Jessica concluded it wasn't because they were inherently apathetic, but because schools are often reluctant to teach civics subjects that might stir controversy. "I believe education cannot be complete without a basic understanding of your rights and duties as a citizen," she said.

Jessica decided to form a student-run group to counter the trend toward "civics deserts" in schools. She crafted a mission statement, built a website, and began recruiting like-minded students. Over the past two years, she has assembled a team of 45 students from schools across the country who work on a variety of projects to expose more young people to civics. They've developed a civics curriculum that has been taught at schools and summer programs, published articles on social and political issues, and hosted virtual conferences. Jessica's organization, called "The Catalyst," also partners with other student and civic groups to raise awareness, funds and supplies for various causes. "Our goal is to inspire students to care about their communities and create change," said Jessica, "and then to provide them with the resources and empowerment to do so."

Middle Level State Honoree: Luke Sarver
Nominated by Ohio Connections Academy

Luke, a sixth-grader at Ohio Connections Academy, volunteers in a variety of ways to raise awareness of Type 1 diabetes and support those with the condition. "Since my younger brother has Type 1 diabetes, I know just how hard it is," said Luke. "It impacts our entire family and I knew I wanted to help people like [him]." After his brother was diagnosed, Luke's mother founded a diabetes nonprofit, and Luke eagerly signed on to help with the group's many activities.

Over the past five years, Luke has assisted with bimonthly meetings, and helped staff a booth at an annual conference of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. He has volunteered each year at a day camp for 20-30 kids with Type 1 diabetes, making sure they feel welcome and have all the supplies they need. He has helped conduct fundraisers that have generated more than $22,000 for diabetes causes, including serving food at a benefit dinner and at a motorcycle event. In addition, Luke has promoted public awareness of Type 1 diabetes by speaking on a radio show, helping to make a video for social media, participating in informational fairs, and posting fliers at organizational events. Luke's volunteer work, he says, "can bring some kindness to the world and even possibly save a life by raising awareness of the seriousness of Type 1 diabetes."

State Honorees in The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards Class of 2021 – the top middle level and high school volunteer from all 50 states and the District of Columbia – were selected for service initiatives completed, at least in part, between the fall of 2019 and the fall of 2020. Selection was based on criteria including impact, effort, initiative and the personal growth demonstrated over the course of the project. Several Distinguished Finalists and runners-up were also selected in each state, and all qualifying applicants received President's Volunteer Service Awards. 

"It speaks volumes about the character of today's secondary school students that the Spirit of Community program heard from more than 21,000 applicants this fall – most of them stories of young volunteers overcoming the hardships of a global pandemic to support those in need," said Ronn Nozoe, Chief Executive Officer, NASSP. "While we're especially proud to celebrate this year's 102 State Honorees, NASSP applauds every student who's found a way to volunteer this past year. You inspire your peers and adults alike to remember that, even in times of crisis, we all have something to give."

To read the names and stories of all of this year's State Honorees, visit http://spirit.prudential.com.

About Prudential Financial

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial wellness leader and premier active global investment manager, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Prudential's diverse and talented employees help to make lives better by creating financial opportunity for more people. Prudential's iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit news.prudential.com. 

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 http://nassp.org.

SOURCE Prudential Financial, Inc.

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