South Dakota's Top Youth Volunteers Of 2018 Selected By National Program

PIERRE, S.D., Feb. 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Oscar Kavanagh, 18, of Brookings and Bria Neff, 11, of Sioux Falls today were named South Dakota's top two youth volunteers of 2018 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. As State Honorees, Oscar and Bria each will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion and an all-expense-paid trip in late April 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 2018.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, now in its 23^rd year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

These are South Dakota's top youth volunteers of 2018:

High School State Honoree: Oscar Kavanagh
Nominated by Brookings High School in Brookings

Oscar, a senior at Brookings High School, formed a nonprofit organization, "FREE (Funding for Reservation Education and Equality)," to raise money to buy educational supplies for schools on Native American reservations in his state. In 2004, Oscar's family moved from Ireland to run a dairy farm in South Dakota. "I remember how shocked my parents were to find how the Great People of the Plains were living in destitution," Oscar said. As he grew older, he noticed a general apathy among his classmates over the disparities between life on the reservation and their own environment. "They grew up knowing about the reservations and took their plight as unchangeable," he said. But Oscar couldn't accept that.

Two years ago, he set out to learn all he could about his state's nine reservations, concentrating especially on the Pine Ridge Reservation. He read books about the Lakota people, met with individuals who had donated books or organized relief efforts on the reservations, and contacted reservation schools to learn about curriculum, student statistics and aid programs. After meeting with the staff of the Pine Ridge Indian School, he decided to contribute to its greenhouse project, which teaches students how to grow their own food, an important skill on a huge reservation with minimal access to fresh produce. Raising money through Kickstarter and GoFundMe websites, and through appeals to family and friends, Oscar was able to raise more than $1,200 to help pay for upkeep and supplies for the greenhouse, as well as books for classrooms at several reservations.   

Middle Level State Honoree: Bria Neff
Nominated by Learning Garden Arts Academy in Sioux Falls

Bria, a home-schooled fifth-grader, has raised more than $13,000 and worldwide awareness to help save endangered species by selling and displaying her paintings of over 200 vulnerable animals and landscapes. When she was 8 years old, Bria won an art contest sponsored by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and learned that there are more than 3,000 endangered species around the world. "I was so upset I told my mom I wanted to do something about it," said Bria. She decided she would paint pictures of endangered animals, sell them, and donate the proceeds to organizations that work to ensure a future for these creatures.

Over the past three years, Bria has spent more than 500 hours painting, researching, educating, and raising awareness of endangered animals. She sells her paintings on Facebook, Instagram and on her own website, and posts information about various species and the environment on her Facebook page, "Faces of the Endangered." In addition, she has published two educational coloring books, creates conservation cards, and gives presentations to organizations and schools. Her efforts have benefited numerous animal conservation organizations, including IFAW, the Jane Goodall Institute, The Wolf Conservation Center in New York, The Great Plains Zoo, and her local humane society. "I want all kids to know they can help save animals and the planet, too," Bria said. "We just need to work together and believe that we can do great things."           

Distinguished Finalists

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

These are South Dakota's Distinguished Finalists for 2018:

Korbin Leddy, 14, of Stockholm, S.D., a member of Grant County 4-H and an eighth-grader at Milbank Middle School, has been leading food drives since the third grade, mobilizing his classmates and fellow 4-Hers to collect nearly 4,000 food items for the Grant County Food Pantry. Korbin, who has harvested more than 600 pounds of fresh produce for the hungry from his family garden, has also stuffed food backpacks for students in need and packed meals for disaster areas in the U.S. and abroad.

Abby Neff, 15, of Sioux Falls, S.D., a member of Minnehaha County 4-H and a home-schooled freshman, has led several projects to provide art and educational supplies to young children in need and community organizations ? efforts that have created and delivered more than 15,000 crayons and 80 bags filled with books, craft materials and other items. Over the past two years, Abby has spent three hours a day on project activities including hand-making crayons.

"Prudential is proud to recognize these remarkable young people for using their energy, creativity and compassion to bring meaningful change to their communities," said Prudential Chairman and CEO John Strangfeld. "We hope their stories inspire others to consider how they can do the same."

"These middle level and high school students have not only improved the lives of the people and communities they've served ? they also set an important example for their peers," said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP. "These honorees prove that you're never too young to make a difference."

About The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards represents the United States' largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer service. 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 affiliates of Points of Light's HandsOn Network, were eligible to select a student or member for a local Prudential Spirit of Community Award. These Local Honorees were then reviewed by an independent judging panel, which selected State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists based on criteria including personal initiative, effort, impact and personal growth. 

While in Washington, D.C., the 102 State Honorees ? one middle level and one high school student from each state and the District of Columbia ? will tour the capital's landmarks, meet top youth volunteers from other parts of the world, attend a gala awards ceremony at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, and visit their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill. On April 30, 10 of the State Honorees ? five middle level and five high school students ? will be named America's top youth volunteers of 2018. These National 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.  

Since the program began in 1995, more than 120,000 young volunteers have been honored at the local, state and national level. The program also is conducted by Prudential subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Ireland, India, China, Brazil and Poland. In addition to granting its own awards, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program also distributes President's Volunteer Service Awards to qualifying Local Honorees.

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

About NASSP

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the leading organization of and voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and school leaders from across the United States. The association connects and engages school leaders through advocacy, research, education, and student programs. NASSP advocates on behalf of all school leaders to ensure the success of each student and strengthens school leadership practices through the design and delivery of high quality professional learning experiences. Reflecting its long-standing commitment to student leadership development, NASSP administers the National Honor Society, National Junior Honor Society, National Elementary Honor Society, and National Student Council. For more information about NASSP, located in Reston, VA, visit www.nassp.org.

About Prudential Financial

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential's diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment management. In the U.S., Prudential's iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit www.news.prudential.com.

For Spirit of Community Awards program logo and medallion graphics, please visit https://spirit.prudential.com/resources/media

SOURCE Prudential Financial, Inc.