Outstanding Youth Volunteers Honored in Washington, D.C.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism, recently recognized two exceptional students from Washington, D.C. for their selfless contributions to their communities. Dionne Wright, a 17-year-old senior at Bell Multicultural High School, and Hewan Abera, a 14-year-old eighth-grader at Saint Augustine Catholic School, were named the District's top two youth volunteers of 2015.

Dionne founded the "Multitasking Hearts Corporation," a nonprofit organization that assists and supports children being raised by single parents. She has participated in numerous volunteer activities, including serving homeless and sick people, and has launched a website to solicit donations and recruit high school students to help with activities such as teen mentoring sessions and fundraising events. Dionne's organization also started a scholarship fund for high school seniors needing help to go to college.

Hewan, an eighth-grader at Saint Augustine Catholic School, enjoys volunteering at her school, her church, and in the community to help those less fortunate than her. She learned about community service from her parents at a young age and has continued to volunteer as a way to show her gratitude for the assistance her family received after arriving in the United States from Ethiopia.

Key Takeaways:

• Dionne Wright, a 17-year-old senior at Bell Multicultural High School, was named the District of Columbia's top youth volunteer of 2015 for her work with the "Multitasking Hearts Corporation," a nonprofit organization that assists and supports children being raised by single parents.
• Hewan Abera, a 14-year-old eighth-grader at Saint Augustine Catholic School, was also recognized as a top youth volunteer for her volunteer work at her school, church, and in the community.
• The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program, honors young people for their outstanding acts of volunteerism and provides recognition and funding to support their causes.
• Dionne's organization has launched a website to solicit donations and recruit high school students to help with activities such as teen mentoring sessions, fundraising events, and holiday celebrations.
• Hewan volunteers at her school to help her teacher grade papers and to assist in the office, and also visits homeless shelters and is a member of a committee that organizes a canned-food drive for the hungry.
• As State Honorees, Dionne and Hewan each received $1,000 awards and engraved silver medallions, and an invitation to join the top two honorees from every state in the U.S. for four days of national recognition events 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, and attend a gala awards ceremony at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.
• On May 4, 10 of the State Honorees will be named America's top youth volunteers of 2015 and will receive additional $5,000 awards, gold medallions, crystal trophies, and $5,000 grants from The Prudential Foundation.

Statistics:

• Since the program began in 1995, over 100,000 young volunteers have been honored at the local, state, and national level.
• The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program is conducted by Prudential subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Ireland, India, and China.
• The program also distributes President's Volunteer Service Awards to qualifying Local Honorees on behalf of President Barack Obama.
• In addition to granting its own awards, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program also distributes National Honor Society, National Junior Honor Society, National Elementary Honor Society, and National Association of Student Councils awards.

Sources:

• "Washington -- Dionne Wright, 17 and Hewan Abera, 14, today were named the District of Columbia's top two youth volunteers of 2015 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism." (The Washington Post)
• "The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, now in its 20th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP)." (NASSP Website)
• "Since the program began in 1995, more than 100,000 young volunteers have been honored at the local, state and national level." (Prudential Press Release)
• "The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program also distributes President's Volunteer Service Awards to qualifying Local Honorees on behalf of President Barack Obama." (NASSP Website)