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The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards were created in 1995 to recognize students in middle level and high school grades who have made meaningful contributions to their communities through volunteer service. These prestigious awards, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), are presented annually on the local, state and national level. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, the nation's largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer community service, has honored more than 120,000 youth volunteers over the past 22 years at the local, state and national level.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE?

Any student who:

• is in grades 5-12 as of November 7, 2017, and is a legal resident of one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia.

• has engaged in a volunteer activity that occurred at least in part after September 1, 2016.

• completes an application and submits it to a school principal or the head of an officially designated local organization by November 7, 2017.

HOW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK?

Young volunteers in grades 5-12 complete applications online at spirit.prudential.com or nassp.org/spirit by November 7, 2017, and then submit them to their school principals or to the head of one of these officially designated local organizations: a Girl Scout council, county 4-H organization, American Red Cross chapter, YMCA, or Affiliate of Points of Light’s HandsOn Network. Applicants and their parents or guardians also must complete the application form’s signature page.

Each participating school or organization reviews the applications of its students and selects one middle level Local Honoree for every 1,000 students in grades 5-8, and/or one high school Local Honoree for every 1,000 students in grades 9-12.

Principals or organization heads certify applications of their selected Local Honoree(s) online by November 17, 2017.

The top middle level and high school youth volunteer in each state and the District of Columbia are named State Honorees in February, and two to 10 runners-up in each state are named Distinguished Finalists.

Ten of the State Honorees are named America’s top 10 youth volunteers of the year by a distinguished national selection committee at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C.

WHAT DO HONOREES RECEIVE?

• Local Honorees receive Certificates of Achievement from their schools or organizations. Those who qualify will also receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award if they have contributed the minimum number of volunteer hours.

• State Honorees receive $1,000, engraved silver medallions, and an all-expense-paid trip with a parent or guardian to Washington, D.C., for several days of recognition events, including award ceremonies, sightseeing tours and Congressional visits on Capitol Hill.

• Distinguished Finalists (runners-up at the state level) receive engraved bronze medallions.

• Other top applicants at the state level receive Certificates of Excellence.

• National Honorees receive additional $5,000 awards, engraved gold medallions, and crystal trophies for their schools or organizations. They also receive $5,000 grants from The Prudential Foundation for nonprofit charitable organizations of their choice.