Karley Cable, 16, of Belmont Shore, a student at Woodrow Wilson Classical High School, has been honored for her exemplary volunteer service with a Certificate of Excellence from The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, and with a President’s Volunteer Service Award granted by the program on behalf of President Barack Obama.
Presented annually by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards honors young people across America for outstanding volunteer service.
Certificates of Excellence are awarded to the top 10 percent of all Prudential Spirit of Community Award applicants in each state and the District of Columbia.
President’s Volunteer Service Awards recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), recognizes middle and high school students across America for outstanding volunteer service.
Woodrow Wilson Classical High School nominated Karley for national honors this fall in recognition of her volunteer service.
After two senseless auto accidents caused by texting while driving, took the lives of seven teens a week shy of their high school graduations, Cable, a new driver herself, set out to do something to raise awareness for the #1 Killer of all young people ages 16-34 –Auto accidents caused by distracted driving.
Cable formed a non-profit: The M.A.D. Movement=Making/A/Difference and created a website (http://themadmovement.weebly.com) with a “Don’t Text and Drive” pledge drive campaign.
She created a moving PSA video with members from her high school dance team showing the dangers of texting while driving and in a few short months got nearly 1,000 drivers to take the pledge to never text and drive.
Her on-going campaign continues to raise awareness as well as gain new pledges and she hopes to reach 10,000 new pledges within a year.
“We applaud each of these young people for their exemplary volunteer service,” said Prudential Chairman and CEO John Strangfeld.
“They use their time and talents to make a meaningful difference in their communities, and we hope their example inspires others to do the same,” he said.
“By going above and beyond in their volunteer service, these students have brought positive change to communities across the country,” said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP.
“Congratulations to each and every one of them on this well deserved honor.”
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards applications were distributed nationwide last September through middle and high schools, Girl Scouts, 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs, and HandsOn Network affiliates.
These schools and officially-designated organizations nominated Local Honorees, whose applications were advanced for state-level judging.
Volunteer activities were judged on criteria including personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact and personal growth.
