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May 10, 2007
New Mexico 4-H�s Bryce Pfeiffer Named One of America�s Top Ten Youth Volunteers
4-H member, Bryce Pfeiffer, 14, of Raton, N.M. was named one of America’s top ten youth volunteers for 2007 in a ceremony on Monday, May 7, receiving a national Prudential Spirit of Community Award for his outstanding volunteer community service. Selected from a field of more than 20,000 applicants across the country, he received a personal award of $5,000, an engraved gold medallion, a crystal trophy for his 4-H organization, and a $5,000 grant from The Prudential Foundation for a nonprofit charitable organization of his choice.
Bryce, a member of the Colfax County 4-H and a home-schooled seventh-grader, led a project to purchase and install a handicapped-accessible fishing dock on a lake at a local state park. It all began on a fishing excursion with his grandfather.
“Grandpa made it into the boat, but not before he was cut up and bruised,” said Bryce. “His handicaps made a simple canoe boarding a 30-minute ordeal.”
Realizing that he might not be able to take many more fishing trips with his grandfather, and that other handicapped people must be having the same difficulty, Bryce decided a specialized dock was needed.
He spent many hours researching regulations for handicapped accessibility, as well as floating dock designs and manufacturers. Then he obtained approval from the state, made a promotional poster, and wrote newspaper articles about the project. Overcoming his fear of public speaking, Bryce made approximately 40 presentations to business groups and raised more than $17,000. He ordered a new dock, recruited volunteers, organized work schedules, and oversaw the installation process. Bryce’s dock is now used frequently, and officials at Sugarite Canyon State Park have tentative plans to install additional docks and other handicapped accessible features.
Sixteen additional 4-H members from across the country were also honored:
State Honorees
Georgia: Jonathan Peacock, 14, Bacon County 4-H
Hawaii: Kendra Kawamura, 16, University of Hawaii 4-H
Kansas: James Bailey, 17, Tonganoxie 4-H
Nebraska: Spencer Farley, 13, Lincoln 4-H
New Jersey: Daniel Feldman, 16, Atlantic County 4-H
Wyoming: Laurel Leonhardt, 11, Hot Springs County 4-H
Distinguished Finalists
Alaska: Alicia Adams, 17, Mat-Su/Copper River 4-H
Arkansas: Sydney Steely, 17, Pike County 4-H
Florida: Jared Padgett, 13, Sarasota 4-H
Indiana: Alison Mansfield, 12, Allen County 4-H
Iowa: Elizabeth Baudler, 17, Adair County 4-H
Minnesota: KayCee Bosek, 18, Douglas County 4-H
Nevada: Rachael Lambin, 16, Douglas County 4-H
Ohio: Andrea Mitchell, 16, Hancock County 4-H
Ohio: Andrea Blamble, 17, Franklin County 4-H
Oklahoma: Brandon Highfill, Garfield County 4-H
Tennessee: Emily Hollingsworth, 17, Sevier County 4-H
Conducted in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards were created 12 years ago by Prudential Financial, Inc. to encourage youth volunteerism and to identify and reward young role models. Since then, the program has honored more than 75,000 young volunteers at the local, state and national level.
Applications for the 2007 awards program were submitted last fall through schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and volunteer centers affiliated with the Points of Light Foundation.
More information about The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards and this year’s honorees can be found at www.prudential.com/spirit or www.principals.org/prudential.
Posted in category 4-H Stories at 05:24 PM