Alisha Teresko of Wake Forest-Rolesville Middle School has been named one of North Carolina’s top two youth volunteers for 2010 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.
Teresko will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expense-paid trip in early May to Washington, D.C., where she will join the top honorees from other states for several days of national recognition events. Ten of the students will be named America’s top youth volunteers for 2010 at that time.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The awards program, now in its 15th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
Teresko, an eighth-grader at Wake Forest-Rolesville Middle School, plays a leading role in planning and coordinating an annual dance marathon at her school, which has raised nearly $60,000 for two local children’s hospitals. Alisha joined her school’s service club after going Christmas caroling with club members at retirement homes in the sixth grade. “I thought this was a great thing and decided to help with future activities by getting more involved,” she said.
While representing her school at a dance marathon at Pennsylvania State University, Alisha had the chance to see how exciting and profitable this kind of event could be. “I knew for sure that I wanted this to happen at our school,” she said. The planning began at weekly club meetings, which she often helped run. Alisha and other club members decided how to organize their marathon, planned a budget, solicited sponsorships from local businesses to cover costs, and videotaped commercials to advertise the event to the student body. They also coordinated plans for security, hired a DJ, and provided decorations and refreshments. In addition, Alisha helps raise funds at community events to support the project. “While planning a dance marathon is often fun, it is also a lot of work,” said Alisha. “This taught me that anything truly great takes dedication, motivation, and perseverance.”
“People as caring and committed as these young students are critical to the future of our neighborhoods, our cities and our nation,” said John R. Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial. “By recognizing these honorees, we hope to encourage other young people – our future leaders – and all Americans to think more about the value and importance of volunteering in their communities.”
The program judges recognized six other North Carolina students including James Turner of Middle Creek High as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion. Turner is a junior at Middle Creek High School. He has raised more than $2,300 to support the North Carolina Children’s Hospital. To raise the funds, James designs, makes, and sells origami notecards.
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 HandsOn Network, were eligible to select a student or member for a local Prudential Spirit of Community Award this past November. Nearly 5,000 Local Honorees were then reviewed by an independent judging panel, which selected State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists based on criteria such as personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact and personal growth.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards represent the United States’ largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer service. Since the program began in 1995, more than 90,000 young volunteers nationwide have been honored at the local, state or national level.