Two Maryland Youth Honored for Volunteerism at National Award Ceremony in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON, May 05, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) ----Two Maryland students, Madison Mayster, 17, of Chevy Chase and Connor Dantzler, 14, of Damascus were honored in the nation's capital last night for their outstanding volunteer work during the presentation of The 2008 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. The two young people - along with 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country - received $1,000 awards as well as personal congratulations from Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, at the 13th annual award ceremony and gala dinner reception, held at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

Madison and Connor were named the top high school and middle level youth volunteers in Maryland last February. In addition to their cash awards, they received engraved silver medallions and an all-expense-paid trip with their parents to Washington, D.C., for this week's recognition events.

Conducted in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards were created 13 years ago by Prudential Financial, Inc. to encourage youth volunteerism and to identify and reward young role models. Since then, the program has honored more than 80,000 young volunteers at the local, state and national level.

"Madison and Connor are inspiring examples of young Americans who care deeply about the needs of others and who have taken the initiative to help meet those needs," said Prudential Chairman Arthur F. Ryan. "By honoring them, we hope not only to give them the recognition they so richly deserve, but also to inspire others to follow their example."

Madison, a senior at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Bethesda, formed a "Braille Awareness Club" at her school to promote fun ways for visually impaired people to learn Braille, and to raise awareness of social and economic issues facing the blind. Madison's mother founded a music and art school for the blind, and, as a result, Madison is keenly aware of issues affecting the blind. "As a volunteer at many nonprofit organizations for the blind and visually impaired, I was constantly exposed to the sad reality of the dwindling literacy of the blind," she explained. "Only nine percent of blind high school students graduate knowing how to read and write in Braille."

Madison took a two-year course in Braille, and then learned how to teach the subject by introducing it to sighted elementary students. After launching her club at her high school, she educated its members by inviting a variety of experts to speak at club meetings, and she raised more than $3,500 the first year to buy supplies to assist in teaching others. The club has demonstrated innovative Braille-learning methods using a weaving loom and muffin tins at public gatherings, and taught basic Braille skills to 45 kids in kindergarten through fourth grade. "It is extremely important that today's blind youth learn to read and write Braille, as competency in these areas will create more opportunities for economic and social advancement," said Madison.

Connor, an eighth-grader at John T. Baker Middle School, has distributed 5,000 joke books to patients, their families, and caregivers at hospitals and care centers throughout Maryland as part of his "Health Through Humor" program. "I thought that if I could bring a smile to a sick or injured person, even if for just a while, then that brief distraction from their condition could be helpful to their recovery," said Connor. "I've always enjoyed reading joke books, and thought that others might like them, too."

Connor contacts the public relations staff at hospitals and assisted-living facilities to explain his program and schedule his visits. When his parents drive him on his excursions after school and on weekends, he not only delivers his joke books, but visits with patients to read the jokes and share some laughter. Connor plans to continue his program, and perhaps expand it by encouraging other teens to start chapters in their areas. "I've shared a smile and a positive moment with a lot of people," said Connor. "I hope that these efforts have made a difference to those who really needed something to laugh about."

Applications for the 2008 awards program were submitted last fall through schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and Volunteer Centers affiliated with the Points of Light & Hands On Network. The top middle level and high school applicants in each state and the District of Columbia were announced in February. These 102 State Honorees are in Washington this week with their parents for four days of special recognition events.

Ten of the 102 were named America's top ten youth volunteers for 2008 at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce headquarters today. These National Honorees received additional $5,000 awards, gold medallions, crystal trophies for the schools that nominated them, and $5,000 grants from The Prudential Foundation for charities of their choice. (The ceremony can be viewed at www.prudential.com/spirit.)

The ten National Honorees are:

Kristen Allcorn, 18, of Sedalia, Mo., who founded a soup kitchen that provides a hot evening meal five days a week, serving needy residents at tables as if they were eating in a restaurant. Called The Community Cafe, Kristen's kitchen has served more than 12,000 meals since December 2006.

Kristin Brandt, 17, of Lock Haven, Pa., who rallied her school and community to help her build a two-bedroom modular home on her school grounds. After 16 months of fund-raising and construction, the house was hauled 1,200 miles to Mississippi, where it was presented to an 80-year-old woman who had lost everything to Hurricane Katrina.

Bria Brown, 13, of Miami Gardens, Fla., a five-year cancer survivor who recruited friends, classmates and her Girl Scout troop to help her conduct a drive in her community to collect teddy bears, which she personalizes and delivers to other young cancer patients to bring them hope and encouragement.

Shanna Decker, 17, of Plainview, Minn., who has made more than 600 visits to young cancer patients over the past nine years to give them hope and inspire them with her own cancer experience, which resulted in a leg amputation. She also is a frequent speaker at events across the country, and has participated in activities that have raised more than $120,000 for sick and disadvantaged kids.

Talia Leman, 13, of Waukee, Iowa, who started an organization called "RandomKid" that seeks to educate, motivate and unify young people around the world to work on a broad spectrum of pressing needs. Her projects have raised money for hurricane victims, helped build a school in Cambodia, and provided clean water in Africa.

Jenna Machado, 17, of Boulder, Colo., who founded a nonprofit organization to increase awareness about depression and suicide prevention, after a cousin took her own life. Jenna has delivered community presentations on the warning signs of depression and suicide, conducted an education program in middle and high schools, and raised money to provide treatment sessions for at-risk teens.

Riley Miller, 14, of Bowling Green, Ky., who has organized an annual citywide day of lemonade sales for the past three years to raise money for childhood cancer research, after losing two little brothers to leukemia. Last year, Riley managed 200 volunteers and 29 lemonade stands, collecting more than $19,000 and bringing her three-year total to $50,000.

Kaylee Marie Radzyminski, 16, of Cleveland, Tenn., who collects CDs and DVDs and sends them out every week to American soldiers serving in combat zones. More than 200 organizations across the country have joined her "Tunes 4 the Troops" campaign, and over 170,000 discs have been shipped to boost the morale of U.S. troops overseas.

Mark Rinkel, 12, of Aurora, Colo., who raised more than $16,000 to provide medical service dogs for his little brother and other children suffering from type I diabetes. To raise the money, he operated a lemonade stand at community events last summer, and built a Web site to solicit donations.

Joey Rizzolo, 13, of Paramus, N.J., who organized a "Freedom Walk" last September that drew more than 450 local residents to join in remembering the lives lost on 9/11, including many in his own town. Joey's event also was dedicated to thanking first responders, U.S. service members and veterans for saving lives and protecting our freedom.

The national selection committee that chose the ten National Honorees was co-chaired by U.S. Senators John Kerry of Massachusetts and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, and Arthur Ryan of Prudential. Also serving on the committee were actor Richard Dreyfuss; Alma Powell, chair of the America's Promise Alliance; 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, president and 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, Me., and Kelydra Welcker of Parkersburg, W.Va.

NASSP President Barry Stark said: "The young people in this country are capable of doing some extraordinary things given the time and the opportunity. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is one of the great showcases of their amazing acts of kindness and selflessness. We are pleased to once again join Prudential in honoring them for their accomplishments."

In addition to the organizations above, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards are supported by the American Association of School Administrators, the National Middle School Association, the National School Boards Association, the Council of the Great City Schools, the National School Public Relations Association and many other national youth and service organizations.

More information about The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards and this year's honorees can be found at www.prudential.com/spirit or www.principals.org/prudential.

The National Association of Secondary School Principals - the preeminent organization and the national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals and aspiring school leaders - provides its members with 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 sponsors the National Honor Society(TM), the National Junior Honor Society(TM), the National Elementary Honor Society(TM), and the National Association of Student Councils(TM). For more information on NASSP, NHS, NJHS, NEHS or NASC, visit www.principals.org.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader with approximately $631 billion of assets under management as of March 31, 2008, 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 more than 50 million 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: full-color pictures of the Spirit of Community Awards program logo and medallions are available at www.prudential.com/spirit.)

SOURCE: Prudential Financial

Prudential Harold Banks, 973-802-8974 or 973-216-4833 or NASSP Shana Kemp, 703-860-7344 or On May 5, 8:30
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