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

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Karoline McMullen, 15, of Chesterland and Renee Hagerty, 14, of Elyria today were named Ohio's 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).

Karoline was nominated by Hawken School in Gates Mills, and Renee was nominated by Northwood Junior High School in Elyria. 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.

Karoline, a sophomore at Hawken School, launched a volunteer project called "S.O.S." (for "Save Our Stream") to educate the public about the importance of reviving the endangered population of Ohio brook trout in her area and restoring its coldwater habitat. Karoline was inspired to begin her volunteer work after seeing a clip from the movie "Pay It Forward." "This set off a spark in my mind," she said. "I decided that I could make a difference, and I didn't have to wait." Soon after, while visiting a local land conservancy, Karoline learned that brook trout used to thrive in most streams in Ohio, but are now disappearing due to runoff pollution and urban sprawl. "I grew up splashing and catching insects in a stream where brookies live," she said. "They are my community's local treasure."

With help from friends and other volunteers, Karoline has conducted a survey to gauge public awareness, prepared presentations and informational flyers, and spoken to numerous school and community groups. Karoline's group also has worked with public officials to place "No Dumping" decals on storm drains; secured grants to produce signs for parks and educate the naturalists who give tours to schoolchildren; planted more than 1,000 trees at a creek restoration site; and participated in many other educational and conservation efforts. In addition, Karoline testified on behalf of new legislation in her town to protect the watershed, and is currently working to measure the habitability of local streams and determine the best location for a new fish hatchery.

Renee, an eighth-grader at Northwood Junior High School, initiated a series of school-based collection drives that have recycled several tons of used household batteries over the past three years. Renee became concerned about batteries after visiting the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland. "I saw the damage that simple household batteries were causing in Lake Erie's ecosystem," she said. "The Great Lakes contain 20 percent of the freshwater in the world! Polluting these is potentially a horrific disaster!"

After discussing her idea with school and Lorain County waste management officials, Renee taped a video about recycling, prepared an informational booklet, and sent them to schools throughout Elyria with an invitation to participate in a series of used-battery collection efforts. She recruited student "Battery Buddies" at the nine participating schools to promote the program, rallied support from teachers and school custodians, and persuaded local businesses to donate prizes for the top collectors at each school. By the time of the third collection drive, all 19 schools in Renee's school district were participating, and the cumulative amount of batteries turned in for recycling was approaching four tons. "This project taught me to be brave and use the voice I have," she said.

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

Steven Engelhaupt, 18, of Dublin, a senior at Dublin Scioto High School, collects gently used suitcases and other bags to distribute to disadvantaged and homeless individuals living in central Ohio. To date, Steven has collected, sorted, cleaned and delivered more than 375 bags to a local homeless shelter so that people staying there would not have to carry their belongings in plastic trash bags.

Lauren Espe, 17, of Columbus, a senior at Hilliard Davidson High School in Hilliard, set up a free library at a local food pantry for disadvantaged children and families. After speaking to officials at the food pantry, Lauren made bookshelves, solicited donations of books from the community, and now repairs books and restocks the shelves on a regular basis.

Emily Evans, 17, of Hudson, a senior at Western Reserve Academy, has raised more than $16,000 to provide surgery and other medical procedures for underprivileged children living in Chinese orphanages. Emily coordinated and performed in several benefit concerts and recitals, arranged two fund-raiser birthday parties, and recorded a vocal CD for her "Children's Aid" fund. She also traveled to an orphanage near Shanghai on two occasions to make contributions, teach English lessons, play her violin, and read to the orphans.

Amanda Lynch, 17, of La Rue, a junior at Elgin High School in Marion, developed a substance abuse education program for fifth- and sixth-graders in her community. Amanda recruited and trained high school volunteers to help her teach students at two elementary schools about the dangers of tobacco, drugs and alcohol through a daylong program featuring presentations, workshops and group activities.

Christine Orchard, 17, of Bedford, a senior at Bedford High School, coordinates the visits of Japanese exchange students to her county as part of the Ohio 4-H International Program. Working with county and state 4-H officials, Christine educates the public about the exchange program, recruits host families, conducts orientation sessions for families and students, and works with the Japanese exchange students during their visits.

Drew Snyder, 14, of Springfield, an eighth-grader at Northridge Middle School, organized a community-wide youth talent show that raised more than $400 to build a playground at a local homeless shelter. Drew wrote letters to local groups and placed an ad in the newspaper to recruit teen performers, solicited help from friends, found a location for the show, persuaded a local DJ to provide a sound system, and coordinated every other aspect of the two-hour talent show.

David Trinh, 16, of Maineville, a sophomore at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, is the co-founder and president of the "Bethany Group," a student volunteer organization that provides community service opportunities for second- to twelfth-grade students. David's group initially concentrated on organizing activities at nursing and retirement homes, such as music recitals, arts and crafts projects, and slide shows, but has also supported a homeless women's shelter, raised money for disadvantaged women overseas, and maintained a local stretch of highway.

Sarah Woerner, 17, of Beavercreek, a senior at Chaminade-Julienne Catholic High School in Dayton, spearheaded a student-volunteer effort that collects gently used suitcases and other bags for homeless and disadvantaged people in her community. After receiving the approval of school and shelter officials, Sarah organized and publicized the project in schools throughout the community, recruited volunteer help, and collected and distributed the bags to people in need.

"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).

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 United States. 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.