Hillside High Student Receives National Volunteer Award
March 12, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Michael Yarbrough, Communications Coordinator
919-560-2602, michael.yarbrough@dpsnc.net
DURHAM—Moses Richards, a junior at Hillside High School, has been honored for his exemplary service with a President’s Volunteer Service Award.
The award, which recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country, was presented by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program on behalf of President Barack Obama. Moses participated in the Spirit of the Community program this year as a representative of Hillside.
Moses earned his award primarily by volunteering as a counselor and mentor for the BOOST program at Duke University. This program encourages elementary and middle school students to become interested in science and technology. Moses also volunteers with the Serteen Club, which performs many service projects and raises funds to address a variety of community needs.
“Moses is an exemplary student and leader at Hillside, and we are very proud of his service to his fellow students and our community,” said Hans Lassiter, Hillside Principal. “To have Moses recognized by the President and to represent Hillside in such a wonderful way is indeed a testament to him, his teachers and his family.
Sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the Prudential Spirit of the Community Awards program recognizes young people across the country for outstanding community service activities. More than 275,000 young people across the country have been considered for these awards since the program began in 1995.
“The recipients of these awards vividly demonstrate that young people across America are making remarkable contributions to the health and vitality of their communities,” said John Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial. “They truly deserve all the praise and encouragement we can give them.”
“The young people recognized by the Spirit of Community Awards demonstrate an enormous capacity for giving and reaching out to those in need,” said Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. “NASSP is proud to honor them as they are wonderful examples of the high caliber of young people in our nation’s schools today.”
Program applications were distributed last September through all public and private middle level and high schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs, and affiliates of HandsOn Network. After Local Honorees were named, state-level judges selected State Honorees, Distinguished Finalists, and Certificate of Excellence recipients. Volunteer activities were judged on criteria such as personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact, and personal growth.
NASSP, based in Reston, Va., is the preeminent organization of 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. Prudential Financial, based in Newark, N.J., provides more than 50 million individual and institutional customers worldwide with life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds, investment management, and real estate services.
