12th Annual Search under Way for California's Top Youth Volunteers; State Honorees Receive Cash Awards, Medallions and Trip to Washington, D.C., for National Events; Cottonwood and Fresno Youth Were California's Honorees in 2006.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Over the past 11 years, Prudential Spirit of Community Awards have been given to more than 5,400 middle level and high school students across California for helping the less fortunate, promoting health and safety, protecting the environment, and serving their communities through many other volunteer activities. This week the search begins to identify more young Californians who have made meaningful contributions to their communities over the past 12 months, as the prestigious awards program kicks off its 12th year.

These awards, presented nationwide by Prudential Financial, Inc. in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), honor outstanding community service by young people in grades 5 through 12.

"A surprising number of young people today are getting involved in serving their communities, but they're not always recognized for the great things they are doing," said Prudential Chairman Art Ryan. "We want to tell them in the strongest possible terms how important their volunteer work is, and how proud we are of their accomplishments."

Application forms for The 2007 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards will be available over the next two months through middle level and high schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H agents, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs, and member Volunteer Centers of the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network. They also may be obtained at www.prudential.com/spirit or www.principals.org/prudential, or by calling toll-free 888-450-9961.

Students must submit completed applications by October 31, 2006. Then, participating schools and local organizations will select Local Honorees and present them with Certificates of Achievement. These Local Honorees also will receive the President's Volunteer Service Award from the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation if they have contributed the minimum number of volunteer hours to qualify (50 hours for age 14 and younger, 100 hours for those older). All Local Honorees are then reviewed by a state-level judging committee, which will name the top two candidates from each state and the District of Columbia - one high school student and one middle level student - as State Honorees on February 13, 2007. These State Honorees will receive $1,000 awards, engraved silver medallions, and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., with a parent for four days of recognition events May 5-8, 2007. Runners-up at the state level will receive bronze medallions or Certificates of Excellence.

Jake Fuller, 17, of Cottonwood and Nicholas Mejia, 13, of Fresno were California's top youth volunteers for 2006. Jake, California's top high school youth volunteer, was honored for spearheading a campaign in his high school and throughout his community to warn young people about the dangers of driving while intoxicated. Nicholas, California's top middle level volunteer, was recognized for giving motivational speeches to cancer patients and their families, tutoring children with reading difficulties, and visiting young cancer patients at the Children's Hospital of Central California.

In May 2007, a distinguished national selection committee will name America's top 10 youth volunteers of the year. These National Honorees will receive additional awards of $5,000, gold medallions, crystal trophies for their schools or organizations, and $5,000 grants from The Prudential Foundation for nonprofit, charitable organizations of their choice.

"Over the past 11 years, thousands of determined, thoughtful, and selfless young people have been recognized through the Spirit of Community Awards," said Gerald Tirozzi, executive director of NASSP. "NASSP is proud to be a part of a program that publicly recognizes the efforts of these amazing young people and we hope that it serves to inspire young people everywhere to give back to their communities and become civically engaged."

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards represent the United States' largest youth recognition program based solely on community service, and have honored more than 70,000 young volunteers at local, state and national levels since the program began in 1995. The program is part of a broad youth-service initiative by Prudential that includes a youth leadership training program administered by the Points of Light Foundation; a free booklet of volunteer ideas for young people offered through the Federal Citizen Information Center; and a Web site featuring profiles of outstanding youth volunteers, volunteer tips and project ideas for students, an electronic newspaper on youth volunteerism, and more (www.prudential.com/spirit). The Spirit of Community Awards program also is conducted by Prudential subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, and is being introduced this year in Ireland.

NASSP - celebrating 90 years of excellence in school leadership - is the preeminent organization and the national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals and aspiring school leaders. NASSP provides its members the professional resources to serve as visionary leaders. NASSP promotes the intellectual growth, academic achievement, character development, leadership development, and physical well-being of youth through its programs and student leadership services. NASSP administers the National Honor Society(TM), the National Junior Honor Society(TM) and the National Association of Student Councils(TM).

Prudential Financial companies serve individual and institutional customers worldwide and include The Prudential Insurance Company of America, one of the largest life insurance companies in the U.S. These companies offer a variety of products and services, including life insurance, mutual funds, annuities, pension and retirement-related services and administration, asset management, securities brokerage, banking and trust services, real estate brokerage franchises and relocation services. For more information, visit www.prudential.com.