The Prudential Spirit of Community Award Goes to….Lillian Diuble! – Manchester 6th Grader Recognized Nationally for her Community Service
At the April 21, 2014 School Board meeting, eleven year-old Lillian Diuble was presented with a medal and a certificate by Prudential representatives for her volunteer work with the Vision Walk. She was a top winner in the state of Michigan. As a State Honoree, she receives an award of $1,000, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expense-paid trip with a parent or guardian to Washington, D.C. for national recognition events. She then had a chance to be considered for a national level award, but with thousands of students competing for top honors, was it really possible? Middle School Principal, Shanna Spickard, and The Manchester Mirror are proud to announce that Lillian was chosen for top honors!
Over 100 youth were selected to travel to Washington DC where ten were chosen to receive the 2014 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program for national recognition based on their outstanding achievements in community service. National Honorees receive an additional award of $5,000, an engraved gold medallion, a crystal trophy for their schools or organizations, and a $5,000 grant from The Prudential Foundation for a non-profit, charitable organization of their choice.
Lillian will be honored by the Middle School for her national award in the near future. Below is the information from Prudential regarding Lillian’s award:
Lillian Diuble, 11, of Manchester, Mich., a sixth-grader at Manchester Middle School, leads a team that has raised more than $78,000 over the past four years for the Foundation Fighting Blindness, which is devoted to developing treatments and cures for eye diseases like the one affecting Lillian. She was born with a rare disease that may cause her to completely lose both her hearing and vision as she gets older. “I can hear well with my hearing aids and I can see OK with my glasses, but that could change over time,” she said. When Lillian found out about the foundation’s annual VisionWalk fundraiser, she saw an opportunity to impact not only her own prospects, but those of everyone with vision loss. “I am not a doctor or a scientist, so I can’t personally cure people,” she said. “But I can help by spreading the word and raising money for the cause.”
Once she decided to form a walkathon team, Lillian recruited classmates and wrote letters to everyone she knew. With help from her family, she created a webpage on the foundation’s website, made handouts and phone calls, asked local businesses to place donation cans on their counters, and contacted service organizations for assistance. As youth chairperson for her local VisionWalk for the past three years, Lillian also makes frequent speeches to raise awareness of eye diseases and generate support. Over the years, hundreds of people have been part of Lillian’s team, and her efforts have produced significant funds for the Foundation Fighting Blindness. “Many people of all ages and races go blind every day,” she said. “This is a really sad thing. I hope for a future full of vision for everyone!”
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program is the United States’ largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer community service. The program was created in 1995 by Prudential in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) to honor middle level and high school students for outstanding service to others at the local, state, and national level.
The program’s goals are to applaud young people who already are making a positive difference in their towns and neighborhoods, and to inspire others to think about how they might contribute to their communities. Over the past 19 years, more than 370,000 young Americans have participated in the program, and more than 100,000 of them have been officially recognized for their volunteer efforts.
Congratulations, Lillian!
Lillian Diuble receives state honors at the Manchester Community Schools Board Meeting on 04/21/2014.
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