BISMARCK, N.D., Feb. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ishika Gupta, 17, of Fargo and Olivia Allen, 11, of Reiles Acres today were named North Dakota's top two youth volunteers of 2019 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. As State Honorees, Ishika and Olivia 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 four days of national recognition events. During the trip, 10 students will be named America's top youth volunteers of 2019.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, now in its 24th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
These are North Dakota's top youth volunteers of 2019:
High School State Honoree: Ishika Gupta
Nominated by Davies High School
Ishika, a senior at Davies High School, started a nonprofit organization two years ago that donates bassinets for babies whose families lack a secure place for them to sleep. While volunteering at the American Indian Resource Center, Ishika met a young mother with a son who was born eight weeks prematurely and did not have a safe place of his own to sleep. "He was pale and barely moving," said Ishika, who also was a premature infant. "I thought of my own bassinet, how it kept me warm, safe, and healthy." As a volunteer at the center, she had visited several Native American reservations and from conversations with center staff knew that the rate of sudden infant death syndrome was higher than average in this population and was sometimes due to unsafe sleeping arrangements.
So Ishika began researching the issue and decided to create "Cradle Me Care" to try and reduce infant mortality in her state. After gaining nonprofit status, she developed a website, began organizing fundraisers such as raffles and door-to-door appeals, applied for grants, contacted the media to promote her events, and developed relationships with local healthcare and social services agencies for referrals. So far, she has purchased more than 100 bassinets and distributed them to organizations that help parents in need in two states and three tribal communities. In addition to her bassinet project, Ishika continues to be an active volunteer at the American Indian Resource Center, where she helped organize and lead a summit on disparities in tribal oral health. She also has helped monitor and analyze local, state and federal policies that impact the health of Native Americans.
Middle Level State Honoree: Olivia Allen
Nominated by Cheney Middle School
Olivia, a sixth-grader at Cheney Middle School, has organized four blanket-making events that have produced more than 300 fleece security blankets for hospitalized or traumatized children in need of comfort. In 2009, Olivia started experiencing seizures and was eventually diagnosed with epilepsy. During one of several hospitalizations, she was handed a blanket. "I know how good the blanket made me feel. A blanket makes you feel like you are at home," Olivia said. The blanket Olivia was given at the hospital came from Project Linus, an organization named after the blanket-toting character in the Peanuts comic strip. It was started by a Colorado woman who, after reading a newspaper article about a 3-year-old girl who had endured months of painful treatment for cancer with the help of her special blanket, decided every frightened child should have one. Remembering how good that blanket had made her feel during a stressful time, Olivia began volunteering with the organization.
Olivia's mother helped her promote her blanket-making events on social media. In addition to the volunteers who participated in her events, many people also donated fleece for blankets, the leftovers of which Olivia used to make over 50 dog toys. In 2017, she started asking friends and family to give her fleece or money instead of presents on her birthday so that she could donate more blankets. Olivia also is using social media and her role as 2017 Miss Pre-Teen West Fargo International to encourage people across the country to become involved in providing a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized or otherwise in need. Every time Olivia sees a child hug one of her blankets, "It puts a smile on my face," she said.
Distinguished Finalists
The program judges also recognized two other North Dakota students as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion.
These are North Dakota's Distinguished Finalists for 2019:
Astrid Axtman, 17, of Fargo, N.D., a member of Cass County 4-H and a senior at Davies High School, co-founded "Busy Hands," an initiative that creates and donates fidget pillows with the goal of redirecting fidgeting tendencies and preventing harmful behaviors in people with dementia and Alzheimer's disease and in people who have had a stroke. She partnered with more than 25 volunteer groups and, so far, the initiative has donated more than 180 pillows.
Sydney Helgeson, 18, of Bismarck, N.D., a senior at Bismarck High School, is motivating young people across the state to not text while driving as the spokesperson for the North Dakota Department of Transportation's Speak Up Against Distracted Driving campaign. She has teamed up with state and national organizations to spread the message, and created 13 video and online ads that reached teens on Pandora, Hulu and YouTube; her YouTube video has been viewed more than 64,000 times to date.
"These young volunteers learned and demonstrated that they can make meaningful contributions to individuals and communities through their service," said Prudential CEO Charles Lowrey. "It's an honor to recognize their great work, and we hope that shining a spotlight on their service inspires others to consider how they might make a difference."
"Each of these honorees is proof that students have the energy, creativity and unique perspectives to create positive change," said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP. "We commend each of the 2019 honorees for their outstanding volunteer service, and for the invaluable example they've set for their peers."
About The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards represents the United States' largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer service. 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 Points of Light's HandsOn Network, were eligible to select a student or member for a local Prudential Spirit of Community Award. These Local Honorees were then reviewed by an independent judging panel, which selected State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists based on criteria including personal initiative, effort, impact and personal growth.
While in Washington, D.C., the 102 State Honorees – one middle level and one high school student from each state and the District of Columbia – will tour the capital's landmarks, meet top youth volunteers from other parts of the world, attend a gala awards ceremony at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, and visit their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill. On May 6, 10 of the State Honorees – five middle level and five high school students – will be named America's top youth volunteers of 2019. These National 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.
Since the program began in 1995, more than 125,000 young volunteers have been honored at the local, state and national level. The program also is conducted by Prudential subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Ireland, India, China and Brazil. In addition to granting its own awards, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program also distributes President's Volunteer Service Awards to qualifying Local Honorees.
For information on all of this year's Prudential Spirit of Community State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists, visit http://spirit.prudential.com or www.nassp.org/spirit.
About NASSP
The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the leading organization of and voice for principals and other school leaders across the United States. NASSP seeks to transform education through school leadership, recognizing that the fulfillment of each student's potential relies on great leaders in every school committed to the success of each student. Reflecting its long-standing commitment to student leadership development, NASSP administers the National Honor Society, National Junior Honor Society, National Elementary Honor Society, and National Student Council. Learn more at www.nassp.org.
About Prudential Financial
Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential's diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment management. In the U.S., Prudential's iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit www.news.prudential.com.
For Spirit of Community Awards program logo and medallion graphics, please visit https://spirit.prudential.com/resources/media
SOURCE Prudential Financial, Inc.
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