FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Harold Banks, Prudential Financial
February 4, 2020
(973) 802-8974 or (973) 216-4833
harold.banks@prudential.com
UTAH'S TOP YOUTH VOLUNTEERS OF 2020 SELECTED BY NATIONAL PROGRAM
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards honors Salem and Bountiful students with $1,000, medallions and trip to nation’s capital
Finalists also named in Provo, Salt Lake City, Lehi and Saint George
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Sydney Ward, 17, of Salem and Owen Hughes, 13, of Bountiful today were named Utah's top two youth volunteers of 2020 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. As State Honorees, Sydney and Owen each will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion and an all-expense-paid trip in early May to Washington, D.C., where they will join the top two honorees from each of the other states and the District of Columbia for four days of national recognition events. During the trip, 10 students will be named America’s top youth volunteers of 2020.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, now in its 25th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
These are Utah's top youth volunteers of 2020:
High School State Honoree: Sydney Ward
Nominated by Salem Hills High School
Sydney, a senior at Salem Hills High School, works to mobilize young people in her community to become better informed about issues affecting their lives and more engaged in local politics by staging mock elections, organizing town hall meetings with local and state representatives, and spearheading voter registration drives at high schools. When Sydney was 13, her mother took her to a political convention to nominate county and state candidates. She spent most of her day there handing out fliers in support of their candidate and collecting political T-shirts. “I realized then and there that I wanted to have my own voice heard in that process,” Sydney said.
On the day before Election Day 2016, Sydney, with the help of her history teacher, organized a mock election at her school that drew participation from 75 percent of the student body. The ensuing conversations fueled her desire to do more. So in 2019, she founded “Project 320” to encourage young people to get involved in the political process. As executive director, Sydney spends roughly 30 hours a week planning social media campaigns, posting candidate platforms on a website, coordinating events with local officials, recruiting volunteers, writing grant applications and securing support from the community. To increase young people’s awareness of governmental issues and the political process, her group has hosted a series of town hall meetings to bring students and elected officials together. At one of her meetings, 100 students heard their state representatives talk about upcoming bills that affect them. “After the event, many students said they had no idea state government had such an influence on their lives,” she said.
Middle Level State Honoree: Owen Hughes
Nominated by Bountiful Junior High School
Owen, an eighth-grader at Bountiful Junior High School, converted a library into a music and game room at Valor House, a transitional housing facility for veterans, and then initiated a monthly game night for its residents. Owen has always had the utmost respect for America’s servicemembers; three of his great grandfathers served in World War II and his brother was in the United States Air Force. “So when I see veterans who are homeless, it makes me feel bad,” he said. “I can’t really solve their struggles with addiction, homelessness and mental health,” he continued, “but I can try to help make their lives a little more fun and help them form friendships.,”
After gaining approval from Valor House administrators, Owen asked members of his Boy Scout troop to help distribute fliers all over his neighborhood, soliciting donations of games and musical instruments. He also placed a collection box at his church. After he had enough donations, he and some friends cleaned out books from a room that had been used as a library, checked all the games to make sure they were intact, cleaned the games and instruments, and organized them into categories. They also built an outdoor game cupboard so residents could play on the patio while enjoying the sunshine. When the game room was ready, Owen coordinated the first of many monthly game nights, inviting members of a national veterans group and his soccer team to join veterans at Valor House for games, snacks, a raffle and two hours of fun. “The most memorable part was playing the games and laughing so hard we almost cried,” he said.
Distinguished Finalists
The program judges also recognized four other Utah students as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion.
These are Utah's Distinguished Finalists for 2020:
Ashlyn Anderson, 17, of Provo, Utah, a senior at Timpview High School, has spent hundreds of hours helping refugees around the world by soliciting donations from local businesses, making and selling baked goods, and assembling hygiene kits to send to refugees in Lebanon and Jordan. Ashlyn also educates others in her community about the international refugee crisis, and arranged for a refugee and author to share his story at a lunch event.
Lily Hawkins, 18, of Salt Lake City, Utah, a senior at East High School, helps run “The Ghana Project,” which raises money selling traditional Ghanaian masks in her community; her efforts have helped establish a secondary school scholarship for three students and funded a computer lab, internet access and a generator for a Ghanaian school. Lily and her project partner are currently working to expand their efforts to other schools in their area.
Kate Herbert, 18, of Lehi, Utah, a senior at Skyridge High School, serves as an “elementary school pilot,” visiting elementary schools in her school system to teach leadership lessons to students; she also organized a drive to help stock her school’s new library, which ultimately collected more than 2,000 books. As a dedicated volunteer in her community, Kate has also participated in fun runs, veteran dinners and mental health awareness events.
Brianna Smith, 17, of Saint George, Utah, a senior at Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts, organized a fundraising concert that raised more than $1,500 for The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN); her efforts include recruiting participants, soliciting donations from local organizations and choreographing a dance performance. Brianna chose this project to raise awareness about RAINN, sexual violence, and finding your voice again after trauma.
“In our 25th year of honoring young volunteers, we are as inspired as ever by the work students are doing to address the needs of a changing world,” said Charles Lowrey, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc. “We hope that their resolve, their initiative and their perspectives on society’s challenges move others to consider how they can make a difference, too.”
“Middle level and high school students are doing remarkable things to shape the future of their communities through volunteer service. They inspire all students and schools to drive learning with real-world challenges,” said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP. “Congratulations to each of the 2020 honorees – it’s an honor to celebrate your commitment to creating positive change.”
About The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards represents the United States’ largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer service. All public and private middle level and high schools in the country, as well as all Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs and Points of Light Global Network members, were eligible to select a student or member for a local Prudential Spirit of Community Award. These Local Honorees were then reviewed by an independent judging panel, which selected State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists based on criteria including personal initiative, effort, impact and personal growth.
While in Washington, D.C., the 102 State Honorees – one middle level and one high school student from each state and the District of Columbia – will tour the capital’s landmarks, meet top youth volunteers from other parts of the world, attend a gala awards ceremony at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, and visit their congressional representatives on Capitol Hill. On May 4, 10 of the State Honorees – five middle level and five high school students – will be named America’s top youth volunteers of 2020. These National Honorees will receive additional $5,000 scholarships, gold medallions, crystal trophies and $5,000 grants from Prudential for nonprofit charitable organizations of their choice.
Since the program began in 1995, more than 130,000 young volunteers have been honored at the local, state and national level. The program also is conducted by Prudential subsidiaries in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Ireland, India, China and Brazil. In addition to granting its own awards, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program also distributes President’s Volunteer Service Awards to qualifying Local Honorees.
For information on all of this year’s Prudential Spirit of Community State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists, visit http://spirit.prudential.com or www.nassp.org/spirit.
About NASSP
The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the leading organization of and voice for principals and other school leaders across the United States. NASSP seeks to transform education through school leadership, recognizing that the fulfillment of each student’s potential relies on great leaders in every school committed to the success of each student. Reflecting its long-standing commitment to student leadership development, NASSP administers the National Honor Society, National Junior Honor Society, National Elementary Honor Society, and National Student Council. Learn more at www.nassp.org
About Prudential Financial
Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial services leader, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment management. In the U.S., Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit www.news.prudential.com.
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For Spirit of Community Awards program logo and medallion graphics, please visit https://spirit.prudential.com/resources/media
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Hi Dawn,
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner and America’s sweethearts planning to spend $27.4 billion on the occasion, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2020's Best Places for Valentine’s Day as well as accompanying videos, along with its nationally representative 2020 Valentine’s Day Spending Survey.
To determine the most romantic yet affordable cities for celebrating the Day of Hearts, WalletHub compared 100 of the largest U.S. cities across 26 key metrics, ranging from florists per capita to forecasted precipitation to cost of a three-course meal for two.
Top 20 Places for Valentine's Day 2020
1. San Francisco, CA
11. Los Angeles, CA
2. New York, NY
12. Washington, DC
3. San Diego, CA
13. Atlanta, GA
4. Honolulu, HI
14. Denver, CO
5. Las Vegas, NV
15. San Jose, CA
6. Seattle, WA
16. Virginia Beach, VA
7. Orlando, FL
17. Austin, TX
8. Portland, OR
18. Boston, MA
9. Scottsdale, AZ
19. Tampa, FL
10. Chicago, IL
20. Gilbert, AZ
Valentine’s Day Spending Survey – Key Stats
Q&A with WalletHub Analyst Jill Gonzalez
Do you think people on the dating scene worry about things like credit scores and financial literacy?
“People in the dating pool have become increasingly concerned with finding a partner who has the right qualifications financially, following the Great Recession. Four in 10 people now say that irresponsible spending is a bigger turn-off than bad breath, and closer to half of us would break up with our significant other if they spent irresponsibly,” said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez. “But the fact that 51% of people say they would not marry someone with bad credit should be the biggest wake-up call for daters. It makes sense when you consider that bad credit can cost people hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of a lifetime. The good news is that a bad credit score is fixable, which can’t be said for a lot of other things that might keep someone from marrying you.”
Why are men more likely to think that buying a Valentine’s Day gift is worth going into credit card debt?
“Men are nearly three times more likely than women to think that a Valentine’s Day gift is worth credit card debt, according to WalletHub’s new Valentine’s Day Spending Survey. Many factors likely contribute to that, including traditional gender roles and courting rules. But the fact that it’s explainable does not mean the sentiment is sound. No gift is worth going into debt to buy, especially considering that we already owe more than $1 trillion to credit card companies overall,” said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez. “Instead, men and women both should get creative with their Valentine’s Day gift giving. It’s the thought that ultimately cost, and a gift rich in originality and significance to the relationship can pay outsized dividends.”
Do you have any tips for how can singles can get their finances relationship-ready?
“Irresponsible spending and bad credit are big turnoffs for a big portion of the dating pool, given what it says about an individual’s earning power, organization and future quality of life. So, singles who struggle in those areas need to turn those warning signs into signals of quality. Like with any healthy relationship, that starts with active participation in the process. Make a budget that cuts out some unnecessary luxuries and allows for more saving. Monitor your credit score and report. And explore ways to boost your earning power,” said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez. “The keys to success in love and money are no secret. You just need to keep things as simple as possible and do the fundamentals really well.”
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**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
EDITORS: For review copies or interview requests, contact:
Marketing Services
Tel: 888-795-4274
Fax: 812-355-4079
Email: MarketingServices@xlibris.com
(When requesting a review copy, please provide a street address.)
Terri Saville-Sewell returns to the literary limelight with the release of ‘Baby Carrot’
CITRUS HEIGHTS, Calif. – Terri Saville-Sewell, award-winning author and illustrator of “Can You See?,” returns to the literary limelight with the release of another picture book for children that is set to delight young readers with a story of hope and perseverance.
“Baby Carrot” (published by Xlibris) narrates the story of a group of carrots growing in the garden. One day, a rabbit comes and bites off the top of the baby carrot’s head. When harvest time comes, he is overlooked and left alone in the garden to suffer cold, loneliness and many hardships. Then one day, something amazing happens. What could it be?
“Everyone will love the baby carrot and your heart will hurt for him and the hardships he endures,” the author assures young readers. “It [will] make you so happy when he is found.”
Combining words and illustrations in the story, Saville-Sewell portrays to children how even when life seems hard, there is always hope and miracle around the next corner. She hopes to remind them that despite the many hardships of growing up, blessings always come.
“Baby Carrot”
By Terri Saville-Sewell
Hardcover | 8.5 x 11in | 24 pages | ISBN 9781796043709
Softcover | 8.5 x 11in | 24 pages | ISBN 9781796043693
E-Book | 24 pages | ISBN 9781796043686
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble
About the Author
Terri Saville-Sewell was born and raised in Northern California. She is a mother of four and grandmother of six. Telling stories is her favorite thing to do. Her debut publication, “Can You See?,” a rhyming picture book, won the Gold Spirit Award in the Moombeam Children’s Picture Book Competition in 2008. She is also the author of “The Witch with a Wart,” “I'll Just Hold My Breath,” “My Name Is Mud” and “Baby Carrot.” To know more details about the author and her works, readers may visit www.terrisavillesewell.com.
Xlibris Publishing, an Author Solutions, LLC imprint, is a self-publishing services provider created in 1997 by authors, for authors. By focusing on the needs of creative writers and artists and adopting the latest print-on-demand publishing technology and strategies, we provide expert publishing services with direct and personal access to quality publication in hardcover, trade paperback, custom leather-bound and full-color formats. To date, Xlibris has helped to publish more than 60,000 titles. For more information, visit xlibris.com or call 1-888-795-4274 to receive a free publishing guid
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Office of the State Auditor Issues Reports and Letters for
Utah’s Public Institutions of Higher Education
Salt Lake City, UTAH –
The Office of the State Auditor (Office) recently issued management letters to Utah’s Colleges and Universities as a result of the Office’s financial audit of each institution and of the Office’s statewide audit of federal financial compliance and internal control over compliance (“Single Audit”) for the year ended June 30, 2019. The Office also recently issued Athletic Department Agreed-Upon Procedures Reports to five Utah public universities to assist the universities in assessing compliance with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) requirements for the year ended June 30, 2019.
A list of the reports and letters issued with links to them are available below.
University of Utah
• Government Auditing Standards Report
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003disSQAQ
• Annual Financial Report (issued by UofU with Office of the State Auditor Opinion)
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003diyVQAQ
• Student Financial Assistance Programs Single Audit Management Letter
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003disXQAQ
• Intercollegiate Athletics Department Agreed-Upon Procedures Report
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003dkUDQAY
Utah State University
• Government Auditing Standards Report
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003diEQQAY
• Annual Financial Report (issued by USU with Office of the State Auditor Opinion)
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003diEGQAY
• USU Student Financial Assistance Programs Single Audit Management Letter
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003di9pQAA
• Athletic Department Agreed-Upon Procedures Report
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003dks5QAA
Dixie State University
• Government Auditing Standards Report
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003dksFQAQ
• Annual Financial Report (issued by DSU with Office of the State Auditor Opinion)
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003dkfGQAQ
• Student Financial Assistance Programs Single Audit Management Letter
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003dkGyQAI
• Perkins Loan Program Liquidation Agreed-Upon Procedures Report
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003dkieQAA
Salt Lake Community College
• Government Auditing Standards Report
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003diCyQAI
• Annual Financial Report (issued by SLCC with Office of the State Auditor Opinion)
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003diCtQAI
• SLCC - Student Financial Assistance Programs Single Audit Management Letter
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003diD8QAI
Southern Utah University
• Government Auditing Standards Report
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003dk7rQAA
• Annual Financial Report (issued by SUU with Office of the State Auditor Opinion)
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003dkbYQAQ
• Student Financial Assistance Programs Single Audit Management Letter
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003diEkQAI
• Intercollegiate Athletics Program Agreed-Upon Procedures Report
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003dkTUQAY
Weber State University
• Government Auditing Standards Report
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003dhg9QAA
• Annual Financial Report (issued by WSU with Office of the State Auditor Opinion)
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003dhcMQAQ
• Intercollegiate Athletics Program Agreed-Upon Procedures Report
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003dkYAQAY
The 2019 Federal Funds Compliance Audit (Single Audit) report was previously issued and may be found on the Office’s website, auditor.utah.gov, and specifically at
https://reporting.auditor.utah.gov/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=0151K000003dioVQAQ .
About the Office of the State Auditor
The Office of the State Auditor provides Utah taxpayers and government officials with an independent assessment of financial operation, statutory compliance, and performance management for state and local government.
Specific activities of the Office include performing financial audits, conducting Federal funds compliance audits, providing local government oversight, conducting agency and program performance audits, performing fraud and compliance audits, and operating the State Auditor Hotline for citizens to report suspected financial issues or improprieties. These capabilities strengthen Utah State Government and help taxpayers have confidence in the integrity of Utah’s government agencies.
The Office also provides interactive graphical tools to help taxpayers and policymakers gain greater insight into governmental financial activities.
The State Auditor is a Constitutional Officer of the State of Utah, elected directly by the state’s citizens every four years. The role of the State Auditor is authorized in Article VII, Section 15 of the Utah Constitution. For more information, see auditor.utah.gov.
