Prudential Spirit of Community Awards Honors Top Youth Volunteers of 2021

Strategic Insights -

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a prestigious youth recognition program, has selected two outstanding Idaho students, Jace Johnson and Christopher "Topher" Jones, as the top youth volunteers of 2021. Both students demonstrated remarkable commitment to their communities through volunteer service, and will receive a $2,500 scholarship, a silver medallion, and an invitation to the program's virtual national recognition celebration. Jace Johnson, a senior at Kamiah High School, and Christopher Jones, a seventh-grader at Hillside Junior High School, were recognized for their exceptional volunteer work in making meaningful contributions to their communities.

Key Takeaways:

  • Jace Johnson, a senior at Kamiah High School, received the High School State Honoree award for his leadership role in opening a teen center in his rural community to provide a safe and fun alternative to substance abuse.
  • Christopher "Topher" Jones, a seventh-grader at Hillside Junior High School, received the Middle Level State Honoree award for his conservation initiative, the "Lonesome Larry Project," which raised over $15,000 to support sockeye salmon conservation.
  • The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards recognizes students in grades 5-12 for making meaningful contributions to their communities through volunteer service.
  • The program, conducted annually by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), honors students for their volunteer service and provides them with opportunities to develop leadership skills and make a positive impact on their communities.
  • The program's Class of 2021 selected 102 State Honorees from over 21,000 applicants, with each State Honoree receiving a $2,500 scholarship, a silver medallion, and an invitation to the virtual national recognition celebration.
  • 10 National Honorees among the 102 State Honorees will be recognized as America's top youth volunteers of the year and will receive 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.

Statistics:

  • 102 State Honorees were selected from over 21,000 applicants
  • 10 National Honorees will be recognized as America's top youth volunteers of the year
  • The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards receives over 21,000 applications each year
  • The program has been recognizing students for volunteer service for 26 years

Sources:

  • "Prudential Financial" - NEWARK, N.J., Feb. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/
  • "NASSP" - http://nassp.org
  • "Prudential Financial, Inc." - news.prudential.com