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Montana's Top Two Youth Volunteers Selected in 21st Annual National Awards ProgramNathanael Jourdonnais, 18, of Missoula and Berkley Stroh, 14, of Roy today were named Montana's top two youth volunteers of 2016 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. Nathanael was nominated by Big Sky High School in Missoula, and Berkley was nominated by Fergus County 4-H in Lewistown. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, now in its 21st year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP). Nathanael, a senior at Big Sky High School, organized a nine-month project to build a bike shelter in downtown Missoula so that bicycle commuters and recreational cyclists would have a convenient place to lock and protect their bikes. "I wanted to create a structure that would help promote alternative modes of travel in my community for years to come," explained Nathanael. He figured more people in Missoula would use their bikes for commuting and for fun if there was a safe place to park them, and that, in turn, would benefit the environment. He broached the idea with the director of Ecology Project International, who liked the idea and offered property next to the nonprofit's historic building. Next, Nathanael went to city officials to research building codes and obtain permits. He worked with an architect to develop a design for the shelter that would be compatible with the historic building, and solicited donations from 10 businesses and individuals in the community. Nathanael then recruited 35 volunteers to help build the shelter with lumber, hardware and other materials - much of it recycled - that he collected throughout the process. After nine months of work, the structure was finished and ready for bicyclists to enjoy. "I continue to maintain my shelter and will in the future to make sure that it stays in excellent condition for years to come," said Nathanael. Berkley, an eighth-grader at Roy Public Schools, collects used shoes in her community and ships them to Uganda, where many people don't own a pair of shoes and contract infections from walking barefoot in dirt. Berkley decided to act after reading a book about Uganda by a missionary in that African country. "She talked about jiggers (mite larva) getting into the feet of those who have no shoes," said Berkley. "The jiggers burrow into the feet and can cause infections if they are not removed." Berkley used social media to publicize her collection drive and began asking everyone she knew to donate shoes they no longer needed. After she had collected 50 pairs, she cleaned and disinfected them. She then sent them to Kampala, Uganda's capital, where they were picked up by a family contact and taken to a local pastor, who distributed them to people in villages he travels to. Berkley said she will continue to collect and ship her shoes so that she can help as many people as possible. "Even the little things we have here in the U.S., like shoes, can be very valuable things in less fortunate countries," she said. "Things we no longer use can make a big difference in someone else's life." As State Honorees, Nathanael and Berkley 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 2016. Distinguished Finalists The program judges also recognized two oher Montana students as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion. These are Montana's Distinguished Finalists for 2016: Logan Gunderson, 17, of Glasgow, Mont., a senior at Glasgow High School, organized a color run on behalf of his student council and helped to raise more than $3,000 to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, which helps veterans with the physical and emotional effects of war. Logan helped to secure sponsorships, recruit participants, designed T-shirts and helped promote the event, which will now be an annual fundraiser for the student council. Ashley Voegele, 18, of Billings, Mont., a senior at Billings West High School, has raised more than $32,000 over the past nine years to support the local Toys for Tots Program by selling hot chocolate during the holiday season when residents come by her neighborhood to see the light displays. Since Ashley began her fundraising program, her efforts have contributed one third of all the toys donated through Toys for Tots in Yellowstone County each year. "Prudential commends each of these young volunteers for using their creativity and compassion to bring positive change to their communities," said Prudential Chairman and CEO John Strangfeld. "We hope their stories inspire others to consider how they can make a difference, too." "We are pleased to honor these students not only for their exemplary acts of service, but for the powerful example they've set for their peers," said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP. "Congratulations to each of the 2016 honorees." 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 HandsOn Network affiliates, 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 2, 10 of the State Honorees - five middle level and five high school students - will be named America's top youth volunteers of 2016. 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 115,000 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 on behalf of President Barack Obama. 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 middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and school leaders from across the United States and 35 countries around the world. The association connects and engages school leaders through advocacy, research, education, and student programs. NASSP advocates on behalf of all school leaders to ensure the success of each student and strengthens school leadership practices through the design and delivery of high quality professional learning experiences. 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 Association of Student Councils. For more information about NASSP, located in Reston, VA, visit 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 full-color pictures of the Spirit of Community Awards program logo and medallions, click here: http://bit.ly/Xi4oFW View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160209005101/en/ |
