Two New Jersey Youth Honored for Volunteerism at National Award Ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Two New Jersey students, Daniel Fine, 15, of West Windsor and Laura Dominguez, 13, of Bernardsville, were honored in the nation’s capital last 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 14^th annual award ceremony and gala dinner reception, held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

Daniel and Laura were named the top high school and middle level youth volunteers in New Jersey 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.”

Daniel, a sophomore at the Peddie School in Hightstown, spearheaded a youth-run fund-raising campaign that has collected more than $40,000 to find a cure for juvenile diabetes, a disease that afflicts his younger brother, Jake. When Jake was diagnosed, "suddenly my role as big brother wasn’t just about taking him on bike rides or helping with homework,” said Daniel. He immediately plunged into learning all he could about diabetes and how to take care of his brother, but he wanted to do even more. He wanted to help find a cure.

Daniel persuaded his family to form a nonprofit organization called "Brotherly Love,” and began organizing a fund-raising walk for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Soon after, Daniel and Jake launched a fund-raising drive just for kids, and recruited nearly 80 youngsters to collect dollars in buckets at sports venues, school events, and local businesses. This effort, called "Dollars for Diabetes,” has yielded $41,000 for JDRF over the past two years. In addition, Daniel has played a key role in his family’s other fund-raising activities, including two golf and tennis tournaments and four Walks for the Cure. All told, Daniel and his family have raised more than $600,000 for diabetes research. "All I do for Jake, and will continue to do until a cure is found, comes from the simple and honest fact that I love him,” said Daniel. "Hence our mantra – Brotherly Love.”

Laura, a seventh-grader at Bernardsville Middle School, conducted a collection drive at her school that yielded a year’s worth of school supplies for needy students in Paraguay, and conducted a bake sale to provide their school with new desks and a computer. While Laura was on vacation visiting her cousin, a teacher in San Pedro, Paraguay, "I was overcome with astonishment at the lack of school supplies, computers, books, shoes, and even floors,” she said. "I had to do something.”

Laura decided to get her school involved. After obtaining permission from school officials, she made posters and donation boxes, gave speeches in classrooms, and then collected and packed up large quantities of pencils, pens, crayons, notebooks, scissors, rulers and other supplies. She flew to Paraguay to deliver them, and upon her return, began planning a bake sale and food sale to buy a computer for the school in San Pedro. A man at one of the sales offered to donate a computer, so the proceeds of more than $2,000 could be used to purchase desks and other needed items for the school. "It may not be much to some people, but for these kids it meant a lot,” said Laura. "I will never forget their smiling faces as they watched me unload the supplies.”

"Daniel and Laura 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.

In existence since 1916, the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the preeminent organization of and national voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and aspiring school leaders from across the United States and more than 45 countries around the world. NASSP’s mission is to promote excellence in school leadership. The National Honor Society®, National Junior Honor Society®, National Elementary Honor Society™, and National Association of Student Councils® are all NASSP programs. For more information about NASSP, located in Reston, Va., visit www.principals.org or call 703-860-0200.

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU) is a financial services leader with operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Leveraging its heritage of life insurance and asset management expertise, Prudential is focused on helping approximately 50 million individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth. The company’s well-known Rock symbol is an icon of strength, stability, expertise and innovation that has stood the test of time. Prudential's businesses offer a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds, investment management, and real estate services. For more information, visit www.news.prudential.com.

[Editors: full-color pictures of the Spirit of Community Awards program logo and medallions are available at http://spirit.prudential.com.]

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