Do You Know a Top Student Volunteer? They Could Win $1,000 and a Trip to DC

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program is searching for Michigan's top youth volunteers of 2013 and all students who have volunteered in the past year are invited to apply.“We have been recognizing youth volunteers since 1995 – and still, every year, we’re amazed by the stories of exemplary community service,” said Prudential Chairman and CEO John R. Strangfeld, in a prepared statement. “We look forward to honoring the top youth volunteers of 2013 for their selflessness, their initiative and their dedication to changing communities for the better.” Now through Nov. 6, Michigan students in grades 5-12 who have volunteered in the past 12 months are invited to apply for the awards by visiting http://spirit.prudential.com and www.nassp.org/spirit.Applicants must complete their online application by Nov. 6, then submit them for certification to a middle or high school principal, Girl Scout council, county 4-H agent, American Red Cross chapter, YMCA, or affiliate of the HandsOn Network. Paper copies of the application form can be requested by calling 877-525-8491. Participating schools and local organizations will select Local Honorees in early November and present them with Certificates of Achievement. These Local Honorees will also receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Barack Obama if they have contributed the minimum number of volunteer hours to qualify (50 hours for age 14 and younger, 100 hours for older students). 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 Feb. 5, 2013. 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 4-7, 2013. Runners-up at the state level will receive bronze medallions or Certificates of Excellence. In Washington, a distinguished national selection committee will name 10 of the 102 State Honorees as America’s top youth volunteers of the year. These National Honorees will receive additional awards of $5,000, gold medallions, crystal trophies for their nominating schools or organizations, and $5,000 grants from The Prudential Foundation for nonprofit charitable organizations of their choice.Michigan's top youth volunteers of 2012 were Braeleigh Apley, 18, of Ann Arbor and Shayna Wierenga, 14, of Grand Haven. Information submitted by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards