2008-02-12 14:56:34 -

prudential.com/spirit - Prudential Financial Harold Banks, 973-802-8974 or NASSP Shana Kemp, 703-860-7344 Katelyn Bowles, 17, of Mt. Sterling and Riley Miller, 14, of Bowling Green today were named Kentucky's top two youth volunteers for 2008 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The awards program, now

in its 13th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Katelyn was nominated by Montgomery County High School in Mt. Sterling, and Riley was nominated by Drakes Creek Middle School in Bowling Green. 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 - one middle level and one high school youth - 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 2008 at that time.

Katelyn, a senior at Montgomery County High School, initiated and spearheaded the renovation of the historic Mt. Sterling C&O Train Depot, rallying fellow high school students to take on the project and securing $200,000 in grants to pay for it. "One day, my mother and I were driving down the road in downtown Mt. Sterling," said Katelyn. "I looked over and noticed for the first time the disgrace our dilapidated train depot had become. I thought it was preposterous that such an historical building in our community was rotting to waste and I decided to restore it."

At the suggestion of her mother, a Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) adviser, Katelyn led fellow FBLA members in preparing a business proposal and making presentations to gain the backing of local government agencies, then succeeded in obtaining a variety of grants, including $153,000 from the Kentucky Transportation Department. With a full year of work already behind her, Katelyn recruited carpentry students in her school's SkillsUSA club to do the actual renovation work, which is scheduled to be completed next year. The project, involving more than 200 volunteers all together, is not only "assuring that part of our history and heritage is restored," said Katelyn, but is also "proving that teens are capable of doing what they put their minds to."

Riley, an eighth-grader at Drakes Creek Middle School, has raised $50,000 over the past three years for childhood cancer research by organizing a citywide day of lemonade sales. After Riley's little brother lost his battle with leukemia, she "realized how important it is to make a difference in the short time we have here," she said. While visiting her brother in the hospital, Riley had learned about another young cancer patient, Alex Scott, who founded Alex's Lemonade Stands to raise money for pediatric cancer research. "I wished I could do something like that," said Riley. "I really wanted to help these families and children." So Riley decided to host an Alex Lemonade Stand and asked friends and business owners to help. She received so many offers that she was inspired to put up stands all over town and involve the whole community in her fund-raising project.

Riley set a date for her event, assigned stand locations to volunteers, contacted the news media, made signs and flyers, walked door-to-door to tell people about the sale, and secured supply donations. On Bowling Green's third annual Alex's Lemonade Stand Day last July, Riley managed 200 volunteers and 29 stands, collecting more than $19,000 and bringing her three-year total to $50,000. "It was a great day," she said. "I have never felt such pride and sense of being as when I am working hard to help others."

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

Victoria Engelhardt, 17, of Paducah, a senior at Reidland High School, created and operates the "Friendship Club Jr." at her church during Sunday evening services for children ages 3-7. Under Victoria's supervision, the children learn Bible stories, make crafts, play games and eat snacks while their parents are attending church services.

Bennett Heine, 14, of Louisville, an eighth-grader at Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic School, has organized a number of service projects through his school's social awareness group to benefit immigrants and refugees around the world. Bennett's efforts have included feeding and tutoring newly arrived immigrant youth at a local community center, raising money for genocide victims in Darfur and for Doctors Without Borders, and conducting a community letter-writing campaign to help spread awareness about the situation in Darfur.

Cameron Lile, 15, of Hardyville, a ninth-grader at Barren County High School's Trojan Academy in Glasgow, started a chapter of Jarrett's Joy Cart and collected thousands of toys to deliver to sick children at local hospitals once a month. Cameron was inspired to begin this project after hearing about the Joy Cart's founder, Jarrett Mynear, who died after an 11-year battle with cancer.

Andrew Thompson, 16, of Robards, a junior at Henderson County High School in Henderson, created a small park with benches and flower planters to enhance the beauty of his community. Andrew obtained the necessary approval for his project, raised $1,500 to purchase materials, and recruited fellow Boy Scouts and other community members to help with the manual labor.

"Over the past 13 years, we've seen an incredible number of young Americans who have selflessly devoted their time and energy to helping others in their communities," said Arthur F. Ryan, chairman of Prudential Financial. "The volunteer work of this year's honorees is as inspiring as any we've seen, and we are honored to recognize the amazing contributions they've made to their neighborhoods, cities and nation."

"Congratulations to this year's state winners in The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards," stated Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. "The hard work and determination that these students have exhibited in trying to make a difference in the lives of others is remarkable."

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 Volunteer Centers, were eligible to select a student or member for a local Prudential Spirit of Community Award this past November. Nearly 4,500 Local Honorees were then reviewed by state-level judges, who 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 5 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.

Co-chairing the national selection committee will be U.S. Senators John Kerry of Massachusetts and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, and Arthur Ryan of Prudential. Also serving on the committee will be actor Richard Dreyfuss; Alma Powell, chair of America's Promise - The Alliance for Youth; Michelle Nunn, president and CEO of the Points of Light & Hands On Network; Amy B. Cohen, director of Learn and Serve America at the Corporation for National and Community Service; Kathy Cloninger, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA; Donald T. Floyd Jr., president and CEO of National 4-H Council; Kathryn Forbes, national chair of volunteers, American Red Cross; Neil Nicoll, CEO of YMCA of the USA; Michael Cohen, president and CEO of Achieve, Inc.; Barry Stark, president of NASSP; and two 2007 Prudential Spirit of Community National Honorees: Kelly Davis of West Bath, Maine, and Kelydra Welcker of Parkersburg, W.Va.

In addition to granting its own awards, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program will be distributing President's Volunteer Service Awards to nearly 2,800 of its Local Honorees this year on behalf of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. 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. The program is part of a broad youth-service initiative by Prudential that includes a youth leadership training program administered by the Points of Light & Hands On Network; a free booklet of volunteer ideas for young people offered through the Federal Citizen Information Center; and a Web site featuring profiles of outstanding youth volunteers, volunteer tips and project ideas for students, an electronic newspaper on youth volunteerism, and more (www.prudential.com/spirit). The Spirit of Community Awards 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 www.prudential.com/spirit, or www.principals.org/prudential.

NASSP is the preeminent organization and the national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals and aspiring school leaders. NASSP provides its members the professional resources to serve as visionary leaders. NASSP promotes the intellectual growth, academic achievement, character development, leadership development, and physical well-being of youth through its programs and student leadership services. NASSP administers the National Honor Society(TM), the National Junior Honor Society(TM) and the National Association of Student Councils(TM).

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU), a financial services leader, has 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 individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth. The company's well-known 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.prudential.com.

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

Mount Sterling and Bowling Green students earn $1,000 awards,
engraved medallions and trip to nation's capital

Honors also bestowed on other top youth volunteers in Kentucky

U.S. Senators John Kerry and Chuck Hagel to co-chair judging panel
that will pick 10 National Honorees in May