Massachusetts' Top Two Youth Volunteers Selected in 11th Annual National Awards Program; Dover and Fairhaven Students Earn $1,000 Awards, Engraved Medallions and Trip to Nation's Capital; Honors Also Bestowed on Other Top Youth Volunteers in Massachusetts.

BOSTON -- Mireille Manzone, 18, of Dover and Kassandra Gonsalves, 12, of Fairhaven today were named Massachusetts' top two youth volunteers for 2006 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The awards program, now in its 11th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Mireille was nominated by Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, and Kassandra was nominated by American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay in New Bedford. 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 2006 at that time.

Mireille, a senior at Noble and Greenough School, founded an organization called "Hugs for Heroes" that has collected and shipped thousands of pounds of toiletries, baked goods and other comfort items to more than 500 U.S. soldiers from her area serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. "No one can compensate our troops for their service, sacrifice, courage or injuries," said Mireille. "I felt it was important that they receive reinforcement from home showing that we love, admire and appreciate the incredible job they are doing."

After identifying military units with a local connection, she prepared flyers, made presentations to local VFW posts, set up collection boxes in her school and church, went door-to-door in her community asking individuals and businesses for help, and launched a Web site (www.hugsforheroes.com). With the help of many people from local schools, churches, Girl Scout troops and VFW posts, Mireille collects donated items, purchases additional products with monetary donations, makes baked goods for the troops, and boxes them all up for shipment overseas. Included are items such as shampoo, toothpaste, eye drops, sun block, socks, CDs and DVDs - plus notes of support and love from members of the community. So far, Mireille has collected close to $8,000 worth of donated goods and cash and shipped packages to more than 12 Marine and Army units.

Kassandra, a member-volunteer of the American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay and a seventh-grader at Elizabeth Hastings Middle School in Fairhaven, decorates pillowcases and fills them with stuffed animals and other items to give foster children comfort and a special way to carry their belongings. Kassandra, who loves arts and crafts, was aware that there were foster kids at her school and wanted to find a way to help them. "After reading several articles about how foster children use trash bags to transport their belongings from home to home, I felt the need to do something," Kassandra said.

With help from her mother, Kassandra first held a cookout and pillowcase-decorating party for friends and family. She then recruited volunteers, solicited donations from a VFW Auxiliary and local businesses, contacted local newspapers, and organized pillowcase decorating events at school and throughout the community. So far, Kassandra's project, which she calls "Good Night, Sleep Tight," has delivered to social service agencies more than 1,000 pillowcases, filled with stuffed animals, writing journals, address books, writing utensils and other "surprises." The children who receive the pillowcases, said Kassandra, "can now have a sense of security in realizing that they have a few special belongings that they can keep with them and truly call their own."

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

Alexandra Azzolino, 15, of Acton, a sophomore at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School, raises money to help children suffering from AIDS, cancer and diabetes. Alexandra and other volunteers involved in her "Kids Kount!" foundation have collected more than $25,000 by organizing reading and sporting fund-raising events, Halloween parties, mother-daughter houseware parties, and by selling concessions at Little League games.

Cynthia Delaney, 18, of Gardner, a senior at Gardner High School, founded a community service club at her high school and served as its president for nearly two years. After gaining approval from Lions Club and school officials to start a Leo Club, Cynthia recruited members, presided over meetings, and coordinated a variety of volunteer projects dealing with recycling, health care, hunger and hurricane relief, and other causes.

Hui Feng, 17, of West Roxbury, a junior at Boston Latin School in Boston, co-founded and helps lead the "Wolfpack Volunteers Club," a student volunteer service club. Hui researches volunteer opportunities and needs within the community, and then recruits and organizes teen volunteers to help.

Morgan Foster, 16, of Newbury, a sophomore at Triton Regional High School in Byfield, raises funds and volunteers as junior spokesperson for the Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center, a community shelter for victims of domestic violence. In addition to her ongoing efforts to increase community awareness, Morgan raised more than $2,000 in a door-to-door solicitation campaign, helped organize an annual community Walk Against Violence, and recruited other teen volunteers to help host a fund-raising breakfast.

Chris Murphy, 17, of Dover, a senior at Dover-Sherborn High School, expanded an effort started by his older sister to supply new backpacks filled with quality school supplies to children in need. Chris designed and maintained a Web site (www.backpacksforkids.net), wrote solicitation letters and grant applications, shopped for and inventoried supplies, balanced bank statements, and packed and then distributed filled backpacks.

Jennifer Rogers, 18, of Upton, a senior at Nipmuc Regional High School, collects new and gently used teddy bears and other stuffed animals for sick, abused, disadvantaged and neglected children. Jennifer created a Web site (www.bearhugsforchildren.org) and other promotional vehicles, speaks to local groups, writes solicitation letters, schedules pick-ups, and then coordinates delivery of the toys to social service agencies, police stations, and local and international charitable organizations.

"The recipients of these awards vividly demonstrate that young people across America are making remarkable contributions to the health and vitality of their communities," said Art Ryan, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial. "They truly deserve all of the praise and encouragement we can give them."

"The young people recognized by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards demonstrate an enormous capacity for giving and reaching out to those in need," said Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. "NASSP is proud to honor them as they are wonderful examples of the high caliber of young people in our nation's schools today."

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 Volunteer Centers, were eligible to select a student or member for a local Prudential Spirit of Community Award this past November. Nearly 8,000 Local Honorees were then reviewed by state-level judges, who selected State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists based on criteria such as personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact and personal growth.

While in Washington, D.C., the 102 State Honorees will tour the capital's landmarks, attend a gala awards ceremony at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, and visit their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill. In addition, 10 of them - five middle level and five high school students - will be named National Honorees on May 8 by a prestigious national selection committee. These 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.

U.S. Senators Tim Johnson of South Dakota and Saxby Chambliss of Georgia will serve as co-chairs of the national selection committee. Also serving on the committee will be Ryan of Prudential; actor Richard Dreyfuss; Alma Powell, chair of America's Promise - The Alliance for Youth; Robert Goodwin, President and CEO of the Points of Light Foundation; Amy B. Cohen, Director of Learn and Serve America at the Corporation for National and Community Service; Kathy Cloninger, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA; Donald T. Floyd Jr., President and CEO of National 4-H Council; Ken Gladish, National Executive Director of YMCA of the USA; David Vodila, President of NASSP; and two 2005 Prudential Spirit of Community National Honorees: Devin Cohen of Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., and Lindsey Williams of St. Joseph, Mo.

In addition to granting its own awards, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program will be distributing President's Volunteer Service Awards to nearly 4,200 of its Local Honorees this year on behalf of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. The President's Volunteer Service Award recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program is supported by National 4-H Council, Girl Scouts of the USA, American Red Cross, YMCA of the USA, Points of Light Foundation, American Association of School Administrators, National Middle School Association, National School Boards Association, Council of the Great City Schools, National School Public Relations Association, and many other national youth and service organizations.

The awards are part of a broad initiative created by Prudential to encourage young people to become involved in community service. Other elements of the initiative include a community leadership training program for high school students, now administered by the Points of Light Foundation; and a variety of educational materials for young people and teachers relating to youth volunteerism.

For information on all of this year's Prudential Spirit of Community State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists, visit www.prudential.com/spirit, or www.principals.org/prudential.

NASSP - the preeminent organization and the national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals and aspiring school leaders - 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), National Junior Honor Society(TM), and National Association of Student Councils(TM).

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