Month: February 2012

>New Jersey’s Top Two Youth Volunteers Selected in 17th Annual National Awards Program
Montville and Montclair Students Earn $1,000 Awards, Engraved Medallions and Trip to Nation’s Capital

TRENTON, N.J., Feb 07, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) — –Honors Also Bestowed on Youth Volunteers in Neptune, Pitman, Clinton, Randolph, Brigantine and Ridgewood

Stephanie Jennis, 16, of Montville and Giovanna Boyle, 13, of Montclair today were named New Jersey’s top two youth volunteers for 2012 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. Stephanie was nominated by Montville Township High School in Montville, and Giovanna was nominated by Glenfield Middle School in Montclair. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, now in its 17th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Stephanie, a sophomore at Montville Township High School, helped her family start a nonprofit organization that has raised more than $500,000 over the past nine years to fund programs that promote the inclusion of children with disabilities in schools and communities. She then launched a project called “Include ME!,” to promote inclusion not only for kids with disabilities, but for others who feel ostracized as well. “My brother, Jacob, has multiple disabilities and has always been my source of inspiration,” said Stephanie. After focusing on children with disabilities through her family’s charity and through her own project initially, she realized that there are other children who feel unaccepted and isolated by their peers. “My purpose for ‘Include ME!’ has grown from including children with disabilities toward uniting all children in an effort to terminate bullying and promote acceptance of diversity across all platforms,” she said.

Working with 25 students that she recruited from five communities, Stephanie made presentations to legislators, education officials, businesses and other organizations. The group also prepared programs for school assemblies to promote inclusion, as well as to encourage students to become leaders in the movement. In addition, Stephanie and her fellow volunteers sold T-shirts and sponsored a walkathon and a 5k race to raise $40,000, which will help expand Stephanie’s program across the state. “My vision is to make ‘Include ME!’ a national campaign where all children can feel they belong,” she said.

Giovanna, an eighth-grader at Glenfield Middle School, worked with her mother and two other adults to create a charitable organization that connects privileged young people in her town with poor kids in Brazil. After traveling with her mother to Brazil in 2004, Giovanna wanted to do something to improve the lives of the children she had met in two fishing villages. “I made friends with some of the Brazilians and thought how great it would be if all my friends in Montclair could be friends with them, too,” she said. Since it would be difficult for them to actually meet, Giovanna proposed setting up pen-pal relationships to exchange letters, drawings and photos.

She and her mother registered 25 children in each village and paired them with 50 kids in Montclair. Over the past seven years, the pen-pals have formed deep friendships and gained an understanding of a different way of life, Giovanna said. Some of the U.S. students have also contributed financially to their pen-pals’ educations. Giovanna travels to Brazil every summer to teach the village children songs, games, dances, arts and crafts and English. At home in Montclair, she raises money for her charity, translates letters, and leads pen-pal workshops. “It’s important that those with abundance share with those who have very little,” said Giovanna. “If kids can do this globally, forming friendships and alliances, understanding and loving rather than fearing, we stand a much better chance of world peace.”

As State Honorees, Stephanie and Giovanna 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 2012 at that time.

Distinguished Finalists

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

Andrew Bauer, 18, of Neptune, N.J., a senior at Neptune High School, raised more than $12,000 in grants and donations to create and direct a film to help educate fellow students about proper financial management. Andrew, who secured help from CNBC and U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., has shown his film not only at his school but on local access channels, to other schools and groups and to the Congressional Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade.

Katelyn Eystad, 15, of Pitman, N.J., a freshman at Pitman High School, was only 12 years old when she opened “Angels of God Clothing Closet,” which provided free clothes to those in need. Katelyn, who chose to give back after the community helped her family overcome a house fire, organizes clothing drives to stock the store, works with local agencies to identify those in need, and recruits volunteers to help run the store.

Anne Kuster, 17, of Clinton, N.J., a senior at North Huntington High School in Annandale, raised nearly $145,000 to fund the material and installation costs of solar panels for nine homes being built for low-income families through Habitat for Humanity. Anne solicited donations from companies throughout New Jersey and secured a sponsorship from the Electrical Union, and her solar project is now being considered for all Habitat homes built in the future.

Carly Levin, 17, of Randolph, N.J., a senior at Randolph High School, is a passionate advocate on behalf of those with fibrous dysplasia, a tumorous bone disease that struck Carly when she was 13 years old. Since then, she has raised $5,000 for research and is helping others cope as the co-administrator of a Facebook support group for young people affected by the disease.

Joseph Mandes, 17, of Brigantine, N.J., a volunteer with the United Way of Atlantic County and a junior at Atlantic City High School, founded the “Kids for South Jersey Cancer Fund” when he was 13 years old and has since helped to raise more than $28,000 to support the South Jersey Cancer Fund. Joseph, whose volunteer work is in honor of his “Poppy” who died from cancer, has recruited 75 volunteers to raise funds by hosting bake sales, coin drops and beach runs.

Victoria Pan, 17, of Ridgewood, N.J., a senior at Ridgewood High School, created “Students Saving Energy,” a collaborative network that helps student environmental clubs across the U.S. make the connections and secure the support they need for sustainability projects. Victoria created a website, Facebook group and group email account, coordinated with local and national environmental groups, and helped organize an in-person meeting for network participants.

“Through their selfless acts of service, these award recipients have greatly improved the lives of others,” said Prudential Chairman and CEO John Strangfeld. “We hope their stories and their dedication inspire other young people to do the same.”

“We are so pleased to celebrate these student volunteers,” said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP. “It’s important to highlight them as powerful examples of how young people can make a difference.”