Vol, 7, No. 9: March 3, 2008		Get SEAchange by email

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6. Wisconsin winners of Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

Megan Behn, a senior at Weyauwega-Fremont High School, and Nchinda Nchinda, a seventh-grader at Oak Creek East Middle School, have been named Wisconsin state honorees for the 2008 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.

The awards, presented by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), honor middle and high school students for outstanding volunteer service. Every year, two honorees are chosen from each state, and these winners have a chance of being named national honorees during a special ceremony in May.

Behn helped raise nearly $170,000 to build a new animal shelter for the Humane Society of Waupaca County and has been a leader in a variety of other activities that benefit animals in her community. "I was motivated to do this volunteer work because I love animals and teaching," Megan said. "I believe that the Humane Society fills an important role within our county."

Nchinda helped create a fruit and vegetable garden at his school along with an annual Harvest Celebration dinner that serves the garden's produce to raise money for a local food pantry. "My dad has always told me that I should be a 'fixer-man,'" said Nchinda, who started volunteering when he joined his school's service-learning club. "If everybody helped everybody else, the world would be a much better place."

Behn and Nchinda will receive $1,000 awards, engraved silver medallions, and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., in May for four days of recognition events. During those four days the ten national honorees, picked by a panel of prominent judges, will be announced. National honorees receive an additional $5,000, an engraved gold medallion, a crystal trophy for their schools or organizations, and a $5,000 grant for a nonprofit, charitable organization of their choice.

In addition to Behn and Nchinda, six Wisconsin youth were named "distinguished finalists": Jordan Brown of Whitnall High School in Greenfield, Rachael Lester of Cedarburg High School, William Stokes of River Falls High School, Natalia Thompson of Girl Scouts of Black Hawk Council in Madison, Sarah Wittman of St. Thomas More High School in Milwaukee, and Sarah Wydeven of Girl Scouts of the Fox River Area in Appleton.

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Last updated on 3/3/2008