Two Oklahoma youth honored for volunteerism at national award ceremony in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, May 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Oklahoma's top two youth volunteers of 2019, Alexa Russell, 17, of Pryor and Sydney Borchardt, 13, of Oklahoma City, were honored in the nation's capital last night for their outstanding volunteer service during the 24th annual presentation of The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. Alexa and Sydney – along with 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country – received a $1,000 award and personal congratulations from award-winning actress Viola Davis at an award ceremony and gala dinner reception held at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), named Alexa and Sydney Oklahoma's top high school and middle level youth volunteers in February. In addition to their cash awards, they each received an engraved silver medallion and an all-expense-paid trip with a parent to Washington, D.C., for four days of recognition events.

Alexa, a member of Northeast Oklahoma-American Red Cross and a senior at Pryor High School, created a school-based program designed to help middle and high school students overcome personal tragedies and challenges by showing them they're not alone. After her little brother died, Alexa says she "spent a year of my life pretending to have it all together, hiding my feelings and my grief from everyone around me." But when she finally decided to open up and "begin living authentically, others began sharing their own hearts with me as well," she said. That gave her strength and deeper friendships, and prompted her to give others the benefit of her experience through a program she named "Hearts Wide Open" (HWO).

To implement her program, Alexa developed a curriculum that's adaptable to any middle or high school. It starts by making a video featuring students willing to share their personal stories about grief, addiction, depression, divorce, bullying or other trauma. After the video is shown to the student body, the entire school gathers for an assembly to engage in team-building games, listen to motivational speakers and participate in group activities that demonstrate how to cope with life's tragedies in positive ways and how to help others who need support. Alexa's program has now expanded to three school districts. By encouraging students to speak out about their problems, and showing them that others have had similar experiences, HWO is helping to heal pain and even save lives, said Alexa. "No student is ever alone," she said. "There is always someone who understands."

Sydney, an eighth-grader at Southridge Junior High School, is the leader of a local support group for girls with scoliosis, and fulfills that role by chairing monthly meetings, responding to requests for information and comforting girls who are undergoing surgery. After Sydney was diagnosed with scoliosis when she was 10, she had to endure years of wearing a back brace, doing chiropractic and yoga exercises, and finally having a spinal operation. During that time, her mother discovered Curvy Girls, an international network of scoliosis support groups, but found that the Oklahoma chapter had no members and needed a leader. "I told my mom that I wanted to become the leader and find new members," said Sydney. "It's important for myself and other girls to be able to discuss our feelings in a safe environment where we are understood."

Sydney and her mother distributed fliers about Curvy Girls to doctors' offices, and were featured in a local magazine. In just a few short months, the revitalized support group had grown to 17 members. Sydney schedules and officiates meetings once a month in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa, where group members talk not only about their scoliosis, but also about issues they are having at home and school. They also work on projects that benefit the scoliosis community. In between meetings, Sydney stays in touch with them through email and social media. In addition, Sydney makes gift bags for scoliosis surgical patients and visits them in the hospital. Girls with scoliosis need to know, she said, that "they are not alone on their journey."

"We're impressed and inspired by the way these honorees have identified problems facing their communities and stepped up to the challenge to make a difference," said Charles Lowrey, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc. "It's a privilege to celebrate their leadership and compassion, and we look forward to seeing the great things they accomplish in the future."

"These students have not only done important work in support of people in need – they've also shown their peers that young people can, and do, create meaningful change," said Christine Handy, president of NASSP. "We commend each of these young volunteers for all they've contributed to their communities."

Youth volunteers in grades 5-12 were invited to apply for 2019 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards last fall through schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and affiliates of Points of Light's HandsOn Network. More than 29,000 middle level and high school students nationwide participated in this year's program.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program was created in 1995 to identify and recognize young people for outstanding volunteer service – and, in so doing, inspire others to volunteer, too. In the past 24 years, the program has honored more than 125,000 young volunteers at the local, state and national level.

For more information about The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards and this year's honorees, 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.

Editors: For pictures of the Spirit of Community Awards program logo and medallions, visit  https://spirit.prudential.com/resources/media.

For B-roll of Oklahoma's honorees at the 2019 national recognition events, contact Prudential's Harold Banks at (973) 216-4833 or [email protected].

SOURCE Prudential Financial, Inc.

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