Two Missouri students, Shawn Hawkins, 19, of Branson and Nimo Sahil, 16, of Kansas City, were honored in the nation’s capital Sunday night for their outstanding volunteer work during the presentation of The 2009 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. The two young people – along with 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country – received $1,000 awards as well as personal congratulations from former First Lady Laura Bush at the 14th annual award ceremony and gala dinner reception, held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
Shawn and Nimo were named the top high school and middle level youth volunteers in Missouri last February. In addition to their cash awards, they received engraved silver medallions and an all-expense-paid trip with their parents to Washington, D.C., for this week’s recognition events.
“The young people receiving these awards genuinely care about making a difference in the lives of others and have accomplished so much – in their own communities and around the world,” said Mrs. Bush, who delivered the keynote address at last night’s ceremony. “I thank and congratulate them for their outstanding volunteer work. Students with this kind of commitment and leadership ability are essential to the future of our nation.”
Shawn, a senior at Branson High School, spent four years writing, directing, and producing a film that his school has used to help educate students about the dangers of teenage drinking and driving. “Alcoholism has been part of my family,” said Shawn. “I have always been concerned about fellow students that struggle with all the tough decisions and choices that are out there for teens today.”
Shawn first had to teach himself how to make a movie, because a learning disability prevented him from taking the necessary technology classes. Then he solicited advice from his city’s fire chief, who deals with many emergency calls concerning alcohol every year. To finance his movie, Shawn got funding from the City of Branson and asked local businesses for support, ending up with 32 sponsors. His school has begun screening a portion of the 15-minute movie, entitled “The Ripple Effect,” for all freshmen health students, and now plans to show it to all graduating seniors each year. The film also is being broadcast for an entire year on a local cable television channel. “My intention was to make my peers think and understand that when they make certain decisions, they cannot go back and rewind their lives like I can rewind my film,” said Shawn.
Nimo, an eighth-grader at Maple Park Middle School, has raised hundreds of dollars a month over the past four years to pay for food, clothing, tuition and school supplies for 13 desperate children in Somalia. Nimo began her fund-raising after a family friend in Somalia sent word that three children there had lost their parents and had no money. “Then my father found out about 10 more children that needed our help,” explained Nimo. “As soon as I found out, I started raising money so they would have food and could attend school.”
Each month, Nimo sends her allowance money to Somalia, and asks friends and family members for donations. Her parents helped out at first, but no longer can because they do not have jobs, she said. Nimo also has collected donations at her school, and sold traditional African food to supplement the monthly payments she sends to the Somalian children. “If I stop sending money, the children will be kicked out of school and will not have money for food,” said Nimo. “Some other children from the same village starved to death, so it is important for me to continue my project.”
“Shawn and Nimo are inspiring examples of young Americans who care deeply about the needs of others and who have taken the initiative to help meet those needs,” said John R. Strangfeld, Chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc. “By honoring them, we hope not only to give them the recognition they so richly deserve, but also to inspire others to follow their example.”
Nearly 20,000 young people submitted applications for the 2009 awards program last fall through schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and affiliates of the Points of Light Institute’s HandsOn Network. The top middle level and high school applicants in each state were selected in February, and were flown to Washington this week with their parents for four days of special recognition events.
Conducted in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards were created 14 years ago by Prudential Financial, Inc. to encourage youth volunteerism and to identify and reward young role models. Since then, the program has honored nearly 90,000 young volunteers at the local, state and national level.
“The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program is a fabulous partnership between NASSP and Prudential, allowing us to recognize the outstanding young people in our schools and communities,” said NASSP President Larry Bradley. “This year’s honorees exemplify the true spirit of helping others and by doing so they give America and the world a promising future, a future filled with compassion and hope.”
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards are supported by the American Association of School Administrators, the National Middle School Association, the National School Boards Association, the Council of the Great City Schools, Girl Scouts of the USA, National 4-H Council, the American Red Cross, YMCA of the USA, the Points of Light Institute, and other national education and service organizations.
More information about The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards and this year’s honorees can be found at http://spirit.prudential.com or www.principals.org/prudential.
