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

Business Wire, May 5, 2008

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, Pays Tribute to Young Heroes as Part of Four-Day Recognition Events

WASHINGTON -- Two Oregon students, Morgan Hammers, 18, of Malin and Elizabeth Rushing, 12, of Jefferson 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.

Morgan and Elizabeth were named the top high school and middle level youth volunteers in Oregon 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.

"Morgan and Elizabeth 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."

Morgan, a senior at Lost River Junior/Senior High School in Merrill, established a Sparrow Club at her school to raise funds for a sick child and promote community service among her fellow students. Morgan's service-learning teacher gave her a book about the origins of Sparrow Clubs USA, a national nonprofit organization of school-based clubs that raise money to assist children in medical crises. "It was such an inspiration that I e-mailed the organization to find out more the day I finished reading it," said Morgan.

With help from the national organization, Morgan found businesses that agreed to sponsor a Sparrow Club or make smaller donations, and also found a family facing huge medical bills for a critically ill child. Then she held a kick-off assembly at her school, and organized meetings with interested students to come up with service and fund-raising ideas. As club members performed a variety of volunteer projects in the community, Morgan kept track of their hours to qualify for their sponsorship pledges. Morgan's effort ultimately involved more than 300 students and community members, and raised more than $3,000 for her club's Sparrow family. "I have learned the importance of caring, understanding, a deeper sense of family, and just how an illness can affect a family," said Morgan.

Elizabeth, a seventh-grader at Jefferson Middle School and a member of the Girl Scouts of Santiam Council in Salem, cleared and restored an overgrown nature garden at her former elementary school. Although Elizabeth no longer attends the school, her bus passes the garden every day. "It was a mess," said Elizabeth. "It used to be beautiful, with flowers and plants in the planters and bird houses around the garden. After years of vandalism and lack of upkeep, the garden just began to die."

Saddened by its condition, Elizabeth decided to restore the garden. After obtaining permission from the school, Elizabeth's grandfather helped her fill seven pickup trucks with weeds and debris, and the school's groundskeeper taught her how to cut down a dead tree with a chainsaw. She then asked local businesses for donations of wood, paint, plants and bark chips. With help from her grandpa, fellow Girl Scouts, students at the school, and other members of the community, Elizabeth built and installed new benches and birdhouses, planted flowers and native Oregon shrubs, and reconstructed a path around the garden. "The transformation of the garden from mess to beauty was amazing," said Elizabeth. "The students now have an area that can bring nature to the classroom."

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.]