2010-02-09 14:48:19 -

Alison Gorrie, 17, and Rachel Stoves, 14, both of Birmingham, today were named Alabama's top two youth volunteers for 2010 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The awards program, now in its 15th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Alison was nominated by Mountain Brook High School in Mountain Brook, and Rachel was nominated by Huffman Middle School in Birmingham. As State Honorees, 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 several days of national recognition events. Ten of them will be named America’s top youth volunteers for 2010 at that time.


Alison, a junior at Mountain Brook High School, organized a benefit concert last May that raised more than $420,000 to support low-vision research and rehabilitation services at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Having heard for years how a rare congenital eye condition called optic nerve hypoplasia would limit her activities, Alison was stunned when she learned from a doctor one day that specialized technology could significantly improve her vision and even enable her to drive a car. “I was overwhelmed with joy and tears when she told me I could break the most overpowering barrier to my independence,” Alison said. “That day, I knew I wanted others to experience the same opportunity that I was given.”

Since she had spent most of her life performing in musical theatre, Alison decided to put on a concert to raise money for UAB’s Center for Low Vision Rehabilitation and its Optic Nerve Imaging Center. She assembled a board of directors to help raise funds and coordinate logistics, recruited an artistic director from a local theatre company, and secured musicians and celebrities to perform at the concert and appear in an educational video. When Alison’s “Songs for Sight” celebration finally took place on May 17, 2009, it not only featured performances by well-known singers such as country star Sara Evans, but also a multimedia presentation that let audience members experience what it’s like to have low vision. “My ‘vision’ is to make a difference in the lives of low-vision patients throughout Alabama and the United States,” said Alison.


Rachel, an eighth-grader at Huffman Middle School, spent the summer of 2009 performing a variety of volunteer jobs at her church as a key participant in a new youth volunteer program. Rachel said she was very excited when she learned about the program, and resolved to be “the best volunteer that I could possibly be. My goal was to give 100 percent effort,” she said.

Along with a team of other young people, Rachel worked from early morning until evening each day. Her primary task was to organize the church’s media room and choir rehearsal area, which included rearranging furniture, removing boxes, and moving musical equipment. She also worked on the youth resource room and supply room, and spent time with senior citizens in the church’s elder daycare program. “I walked away with the utmost respect for the many individuals who seek ways to make this a better place by giving back to the community. Even the simple things in life have a huge impact and have the potential to become life-changing,” said Rachel.

In addition, the program judges recognized four other Alabama students as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion.

Hanna Cree, 18, of Birmingham, a member of the Girl Scouts of North Central Alabama in Birmingham and a senior at Chelsea High School in Chelsea, wrote an online book about her struggles with dyslexia to help parents recognize the symptoms of the developmental reading disorder.

Hannah’s book has been read by more than 500 people, including the principal of an elementary school, who was so impressed that she invited Hannah to speak to all of the teachers in her school.

Colleen Reilly, 17, of Mobile, a senior at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, is an active volunteer with United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) during the school year. In addition, for the past two summers, she has been a camp counselor at UCP’s Camp Smile, where she cares for both children and adults with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities.

Noora Siddiqui, 17, of Harvest, a senior at East Limestone High School in Athens, co-founded and coordinates the “Limestone Organization of Volunteer Efforts” (L.O.V.E.) to provide service opportunities for fellow students. Less than a year after it was started, the club now boasts nearly 140 members who have participated in events such as food drives, nursing home visits, benefit walks, and fund-raisers for numerous charitable organizations.

Kanise Wiggins, 18, of Phenix City, a senior at Central High School, founded “Girls Inspired for Talent and Services” (G.I.F.T.S.), a mentoring program that encourages young girls to excel in school and give back to the community. Kanise started G.I.F.T.S. in memory of her sister, who died in a 2003 drowning accident.

“People as caring and committed as these young students are critical to the future of our neighborhoods, our cities and our nation,” said John R. Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial. “By recognizing these honorees, we hope to encourage other young people – our future leaders – and all Americans to think more about the value and importance of volunteering in their communities.”


“The young people recognized by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards demonstrate an enormous capacity for giving and reaching out to those in need,” said Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. “NASSP is proud to honor these student leaders because they are wonderful examples of the high caliber of young people in our nation’s schools today.”


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 affiliates of HandsOn Network, were eligible to select a student or member for a local Prudential Spirit of Community Award this past November. Nearly 5,000 Local Honorees were then reviewed by an independent judging panel, which selected State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists based on criteria such as personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact and personal growth.

While in Washington, D.C., the 102 State Honorees will tour the capital’s landmarks, attend a gala awards ceremony at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, and visit their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill. In addition, 10 of them – five middle level and five high school students – will be named National Honorees on May 3 by a prestigious national selection committee. These 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.

Serving on the national selection committee will be Strangfeld of Prudential; Steven Pophal, president of NASSP; Michelle Nunn, president and CEO of the Points of Light Institute & Hands On Network; Marguerite Kondracke, president and CEO of the America’s Promise Alliance; Donald T. Floyd Jr., president and CEO of National 4-H Council; Pamela Farr, the American Red Cross’ national chair of volunteers; Elson Nash, associate director for project management at the Corporation for National and Community Service; Michael Cohen, president and CEO of Achieve, Inc.; and two 2009 Prudential Spirit of Community National Honorees: Shardy Camargo of Orlando, Fla., and Colin Leslie of Rye, N.Y.

In addition to granting its own awards, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program will distribute President’s Volunteer Service Awards to more than 2,800 of its Local Honorees this year on behalf of President Obama. The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards represent the United States’ largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer service.

Since the program began in 1995, more than 90,000 young volunteers nationwide have been honored at the local, state or national level. Many prominent public figures have assisted in saluting these honorees over the years, including President Jimmy Carter, Barbara Bush, Magic Johnson, John Glenn, Madeleine Albright, Rudy Giuliani, Whoopi Goldberg, Colin Powell, Peyton Manning, Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson and Laura Bush. The program also is conducted by Prudential subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Ireland.

For information on all of this year’s Prudential Spirit of Community State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists, visit spirit.prudential.com.

In existence since 1916, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the preeminent organization of and national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and aspiring school leaders from across the United States and more than 45 countries around the world. NASSP’s mission is to promote excellence in school leadership. The National Honor Society ®, National Junior Honor Society ®, National Elementary Honor Society™, and National Association of Student Councils ® are all NASSP programs. For more information about NASSP, located in Reston, Va., visit www.principals.org : or call 703-860-0200.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU) is a financial services leader with operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

Leveraging its heritage of life insurance and asset management expertise, Prudential is focused on helping approximately 50 million individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth. In the United States, the company’s Rock symbol is an icon of strength, stability, expertise and innovation that has stood the test of time.

Prudential's businesses offer a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds, investment management, and real estate services. For more information, please visit www.news.prudential.com : .

Editors: Graphics depicting the award program’s logo and medallions may be downloaded from spirit.prudential.com.


PrudentialHarold Banks973-802-8974 (office)973-216-4833
(cell) harold.banks@prudential.com : mailto:harold.banks@prudential.com