Danbury Student Among Youth Volunteers Recognized for Service

From The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards:

HARTFORD, Conn. – Alexandra Minutillo, 15, of Madison and Emily Christensen, 13, of Manchester
today were named Connecticut's top two youth volunteers of 2016 by The Prudential Spirit of Community
Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. Alexandra was
nominated by Daniel Hand High School in Madison, and Emily was nominated by Illing Middle School in
Manchester. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, now in its 21st year, is conducted by Prudential
Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Alexandra, a sophomore at Daniel Hand High School, formed a nonprofit organization and school club
that have raised more than $10,000 to buy gifts for teenage patients at Smilow Cancer Hospital. Watching her
grandparents struggle with cancer, Alexandra saw first-hand how draining the experience can be. When she
started high school, she decided she wanted to do something for young people undergoing cancer treatment.

Through conversations with cancer specialists at Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital, she learned that most
donations for young cancer patients are intended for pre-school and grade-school youngsters. So she decided to
focus on “the often-invisible teen population” and “provide age-specific items for these patients as they struggle
with treatment and hospitalization,” said Alexandra.

After forming a nonprofit called “Smiles for Smilow,” Alexandra started a club at her high school that now has more than 40 members. Then she got to work planning fundraisers, publicizing them through social media and a website she created. Thus far, the club has had bake sales, sold novelty items, and solicited donations at shopping areas, local football games and parades. Alexandra also speaks often to civic groups about donating to her cause. Among the items she has purchased with her proceeds are a media cabinet for the cancer center’s teen recreation area, a notebook computer and gift cards. “We have been able to accomplish something that changes people’s lives,” said Alexandra.

Emily, an eighth-grader at Illing Middle School, has raised more than $85,000 to benefit young cancer
patients and their families by selling recycled crayons formed into interesting shapes and sizes. When Emily
was 6 years old, she lost her 4-year-old friend TJ to cancer. Coincidentally, a few weeks later, her church
challenged its members to do something to help someone in need. The very next day, the crossing guard at
Emily’s school handed her a bag of old crayons her children had outgrown. That sparked a memory of a craft
project in preschool in which old crayons had been melted and poured into molds. “I had an idea of making
crayons into different shapes and putting them into a cute little package to raise money,” Emily said. “TJ was
my best friend and I had to help him live on somehow.”

With the help of her family, Emily began peeling crayons, melting them, and then placing them in
different-shaped molds. Her initial goal was to raise $200 for a local hospital to help the families of young
cancer patients pay for things insurance does not cover, such as hospital parking and meals, as well as to buy
small gifts for the ill youngsters. Now, seven years later, “Crayons for Cancer” is a nonprofit organization that
provides funds to assist families in several states. Although Emily still spends time everyday making her wax
creations, she has a cadre of volunteers from schools, clubs, churches and service organizations crafting and
packaging her crayons, which she then sells through her website and at local events. She also has partnered with
several businesses and frequently speaks in front of large groups to get the word out. Emily estimates that her
group has helped at least 4,000 families over the years.

As State Honorees, Alexandra and Emily 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 from each of
the other states and the District of Columbia for four days of national recognition events. During the trip, 10
students will be named America’s top youth volunteers of 2016.

Distinguished Finalists:

The program judges also recognized four other Connecticut students as Distinguished Finalists for their
impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion.

These are Connecticut's Distinguished Finalists for 2016:

Meghana Kandarpa, 14, of Southington, Conn., a freshman at CREC Academy of Aerospace and
Engineering Middle & High School, joined with five of her friends to create the “Power of Peace (POP),” project that has raised $34,300 since its inception in 2013 to support orphaned children and struggling seniors
living in a shelter in India. Meghana and her fellow POP members have hosted talent shows, dinners and other
events to raise the funds, which also benefit local organizations including the Connecticut Children's Medical
Center and FoodShare.

Wesley Neves, 17, of Danbury, Conn., a senior at Danbury High School, is an active member of his
youth group, which has performed a good amount of service for area homeless shelters, churches, hospitals and
schools. On his numerous service trips, Wesley distributes gifts to children and plays with them, and visits with
patients in the hospital to keep them company.

Danielle Ott, 16, of Guilford, Conn., a junior at Guilford High School, co-chaired a school coalition that
featured a substance abuse awareness program called the THP Purple Initiative, for which Danielle and her
team worked with local business and civic organizations to paint the town purple. Danielle, whose work with
the coalition drew from her desire to prove to other kids that most teens do not abuse alcohol or drugs, helped
organize a culminating event for 800 students that featured a presentation by former NBA player and THP
Purple Initiative founder Chris Herren.

Daniel Ruskin, 17, of Westport, Conn., a senior at the Academy of Information Technology and
Engineering, has been volunteering with the Westport Library for the past three years, helping to teach members
of the community how to use the library’s 3D printer. During that time, Daniel served as the only student
representative on a grant advisory board and helped lead the implementation of an expanded 3D printer
program.

“Prudential commends each of these young volunteers for using their creativity and compassion to bring
positive change to their communities,” said Prudential Chairman and CEO John Strangfeld. “We hope their
stories inspire others to consider how they can make a difference, too.”
“We are pleased to honor these students not only for their exemplary acts of service, but for the powerful
example they’ve set for their peers,” said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP. “Congratulations to
each of the 2016 honorees.”