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

NEWARK, N.J., Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- William Cabaniss, 14, of Knoxville and Cash Daniels, 11, of Chattanooga today were named Tennessee'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, William and Cash 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 Tennessee's top youth volunteers of 2021:

High School State Honoree: William Cabaniss
Nominated by Farragut High School

William, a freshman at Farragut High School, has raised more than $32,000 to provide nearly 100,000 meals to hungry people in his community through his local food bank by making pure vanilla extract and selling it across the country. Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, William saw a news story about record-breaking lines at food banks. That really bothered him because he knew a little about hunger; he had once volunteered at a food bank and soup kitchen, and attended a school where 90 percent of students received free or reduced-price lunches. During a commercial break, William, an avid baker, went to make vanilla brownies. "It hit me – I could sell vanilla extract to support those fighting hunger," he said.

He researched where to find the best vanilla beans, how much they cost, and how to turn them into extract. He settled on premium beans from Madagascar, and got to work. He packaged his extract in 8-ounce bottles and began marketing them on a website and social media. In just two days, he received so many orders he had to call on family members and friends to help fulfill them. Since then, he has sold thousands of bottles and donated all of his profits to the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee. "Record-breaking hunger across the nation and my surrounding area in 2020 compelled me to do something to help," William said. "I would not be satisfied with eating when I knew many would not be."

Middle Level State Honoree: Cash Daniels
Nominated by Homelife Academy

Cash, a fifth-grader at Homelife Academy, has organized cleanup outings that have removed more than 10,000 pounds of trash from the Tennessee River, recycled over 500 pounds of aluminum cans to raise money for river conservation, and installed fishing-line recycling receptacles along the river. Since he was very young, Cash has been fascinated by the marine life in his local river. "I heard a lot of people talking about cleaning the ocean, but I didn't know our American rivers were so bad," said Cash. "I knew I had to make a difference and save the Tennessee River."

He talked his parents into picking up trash along the river with him one day, but there was so much that Cash began planning additional cleanups. He appealed for volunteers by contacting local news media and creating an Instagram page. He then secured a donation of buckets and gloves from a hardwood store so his volunteers – typically 20 to 25 for each cleanup event – didn't need to use plastic bags that would end up in landfills. Cash also runs a recycling program with local businesses to keep aluminum cans out of landfills and support river conservation, and is working with state agencies to place monofilament receptacles along the river so discarded fishing line doesn't end up entangling fish. In addition, Cash wrote a children's book about river pollution, which he has read to kids at various schools to "share how important our planet is," he said.

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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