Young Heroes Honored for Outstanding Volunteer Work

Strategic Insights -

Natalie Mohr, 17, from Kailua-Kona, and Carly Button, 14, from Waialua, were recognized for their exceptional volunteer efforts during the 16th annual Prudential Spirit of Community Awards held at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. The two Hawaii students received $1,000 awards and personal congratulations from Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon.

Key Takeaways:

  • Natalie Mohr, a senior at Kealakehe High School, has been a key volunteer at an exotic wildlife sanctuary for six years, caring for injured animals, assisting with surgical procedures, and educating others about endangered species.
  • Carly Button, an eighth-grader at Hawaii Technology Academy in Waipahu, co-founded a nonprofit organization that has raised over $63,000 to help disadvantaged children around the world.
  • Both Natalie and Carly received engraved silver medallions and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., with their parents for the recognition events.
  • Natalie has personally cared for and rehabilitated hundreds of injured animals and helped create a mobile veterinary clinic to spay/neuter and vaccinate feral cats and domestic cats of low-income pet owners.
  • Carly has raised money for various causes, including providing a scholarship to a girl who lost a parent to cancer, buying backpacks full of school supplies for homeless children in Hawaii, and donating books to an orphanage in Mexico.
  • The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards recognized over 29,000 young people who participated in the program last fall.
  • The top middle level and high school applicants in each state were selected in February and flown to Washington for four days of special recognition events.
  • The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards were created 16 years ago by Prudential Financial to encourage youth volunteerism and to identify and reward young role models.
  • NASSP and Prudential are honoring the young women and men in America's schools for their exceptional volunteer work, citing their intellect, servant hearts, leadership skills, and energy.

Statistics:

  • Over 29,000 young people participated in the 2011 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards last fall.
  • Natalie Mohr has cared for and rehabilitated hundreds of injured animals.
  • Carly Button's nonprofit organization has raised over $63,000 to help disadvantaged children around the world.
  • 75% of all species extinctions in the United States have occurred in Hawaii, and 90% of native plants and animals in Hawaii exist nowhere else in the world.
  • The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program provides $1,000 awards to top youth volunteers in each state.
  • 100 top youth volunteers from across the country received awards and recognition at the 16th annual ceremony and gala dinner reception.

Sources:

  • "Academy Award-Winning Actress Susan Sarandon Pays Tribute to Young Heroes as Part of Four-Day Recognition Events" (Source: Business Wire)
  • "The 2011 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards" (Source: Prudential Financial)
  • "NASSP and Prudential Honor Young Heroes at the 16th Annual Prudential Spirit of Community Awards" (Source: National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP))
  • "Prudential Financial, Inc." (Source: Prudential Financial)