On May 6th, 102 middle and high school students will converge on Washington, DC to be honored as recipients of the nation’s largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer service, the Prudential Spirit of Community Award. A high school and middle school student from each state and the District of Columbia are selected for this. Each State Honorees will receive $1,000 and an engraved silver medallion. On May 8th, ten of the State Honorees, five middle level and five high school students, will be chosen as America’s top youth volunteer for 2017. These National Honorees will receive an additional $5,000 award, a gold medallion, a crystal trophy, and a $5,000 grant for the nonprofit of their choice.

Maine’s top youth volunteers for 2017 are Kathleen Waldner, 18, of Yarmouth, and Bella Rossborough, 11, of Kennebunk. Bella is a sixth grader at the Middle School of the Kennebunks. She was selected for the Prudential Spirit of Community Award for her role in initiating and lobbying for a ban on single-use plastic shopping bags. Bella’s idea went to Kennebunk voters last June, and the ban passed by a margin of 1,480 – 845.

While in Washington, participants will enjoy various recognition events such as tours of the capital’s landmarks, a gala awards ceremony at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, and a visit to their congressional representative on Capitol Hill. They will also have the opportunity to participate in a community service project, reading to students at a Washington, DC elementary school. Bella is currently collecting books to send to Washington in advance of this project. If you have new or gently used books you would like to donate to this project, they can be dropped off in the lobby at the Middle School no later than April 11th.