Arizona's Top Two Youth Volunteers Selected in 12th Annual National Awards Program

Business Wire, Feb 13, 2007

Mesa students earn $1,000 awards, engraved medallions and trip to nation's capital

Honors also bestowed on other top youth volunteers in Arizona

PHOENIX -- Anne Jaffe, 16, and Austin Gutwein, 12, both of Mesa, today were named Arizona's top two youth volunteers for 2007 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The awards program, now in its 12th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Anne was nominated by Red Mountain High School in Mesa, and Austin was nominated by Surrey Garden Christian School in Gilbert. 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 2007 at that time.

Anne, a junior at Red Mountain High School, interviews and photographs young Sudanese refugees at the Arizona Lost Boys Center and writes their tragic stories to educate others about the devastating result of African civil unrest. Anne began volunteering at the center in 2004 after attending a lecture given by the refugees. "I practically cried when I heard their stories," she said. "They talked about seeing the militia burn their villages, steal their livestock, and try to kill or kidnap the villagers, especially the young boys." Boys as young as a few years old had to leave their families and run for their lives, only to wander hundreds of miles looking for safe places to stay. Many of the "lost boys" who survived were eventually brought to Arizona to start new lives, aided by the Lost Boys Center, explained Anne.

Shortly after she began volunteering at the center, Anne was asked to coordinate a "Story Board Wall Project" to tell the stories of the refugees. She interviews and photographs the refugees, writes their stories, designs layouts, and then frames and hangs her finished storyboards on a wall at the center. Anne's storyboards have educated hundreds of visitors about the crisis in Sudan. The storyboards also have become a source of pride and inspiration to the refugees, and have been used in fund-raising activities. Anne also has recruited her family to raise money for the center.

Austin, a seventh-grader at Surrey Garden Christian School in Gilbert, initiated an annual basketball free-throw "shoot-a-thon" that has raised more than $42,000 to benefit Zambian children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. "When I saw a video of children who were suffering from the loss of their parents, I began to think what it would be like if I lost my own parents," Austin said. He contacted World Vision, the sponsor of that video, and in 2004, "Hoops of Hope" began with Austin shooting 2,057 free throws on World AIDS Day to represent the 2,057 children orphaned daily by HIV/AIDS. He raised more than $3,000 from sponsors.

The following year, Austin recruited more than 1,000 kids across the country to join him in shooting baskets, and their combined fund-raising yielded more than $35,000 to provide food, clothing, healthcare, shelter and an education to Zambian orphans through World Vision. Austin's current goal is to help build a school in Zambia. "If everyone my age would do something small, we could conquer things beyond our dreams," said Austin.

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

Shruti Bala, 16, of Glendale, a senior at Barry Goldwater High School in Phoenix, developed and coordinated a "Youth LEAD Summit" for more than 100 middle school students to increase awareness of cultural differences and reduce bullying. Shruti, a member of the Governor's Youth Commission and an experienced community volunteer, received a $2,500 grant from the American Red Cross to organize the Summit, which Shruti intends to hold again next year.

Alyssa Bisanz, 17, of Mesa, a senior at Dobson High School, founded a youth volunteer organization called STARS (for "Students Taking Action and Responsibility through Service") when she was 12 years old to undertake volunteer projects at a local hospital. Over the past four years, more than 100 students between the ages of 5 and 18 have participated in STARS activities, benefiting more than 1,000 patients and their families.

Alyssa Goya, 12, of Phoenix, a seventh-grader at Mountain Trail Middle School, has organized a variety of fund-raising activities over the past four years that have collected more than $16,000 to help the Make-A-Wish Foundation grant wishes to terminally ill children. Alyssa also started a Make-A-Wish club at her school, and serves on the executive board of the foundation's Kids for Wish Kids program.