Students off to D.C. as part of national award

May 1, 2007

by will elliott

Frontiersman

MAT-SU - Three Valley students were honored recently for their volunteer achievement.

Prudential Financial, a U.S. based financial services corporation, partnered with the National Association of Secondary School Principals to offer the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards Program. The program rewards students for outstanding community service.

&#8220People as caring and committed as these young students are critical to the future of our neighborhoods, our cities and our nation,” said Arthur Ryan, chairman and CEO of Prudential, in a press release. &#8220By recognizing these honorees, we hope to encourage other young people - our future leaders - and all Americans to think more about the value and importance of volunteering in their communities.”

Marcus Farquhar and Angelina Klapperich, both of Palmer, were named Alaska's two state honorees. Each will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expense-paid trip this week to Washington, D.C., where they will join other state winners for several days of ceremony. There, Prudential will name 10 students as America's top youth volunteers for 2007.

Farquhar, a sophomore with the Correspondence Study School in Wasilla, designed and conducted a robotics workshop using Lego building blocks to teach behaviorally challenged students teamwork. After launching a Lego club at his school, Farquhar obtained permission from school officials to develop a Lego robotics clinic for his peers. The club's faculty advisor suggested that the program would be helpful to students with behavioral problems at the North Star Behavioral Center in Anchorage.

&#8220The intent of the program is to help bring youth together in small interactive teams and learn to work cooperatively to fulfill a specific challenge,” Farquhar said. &#8220To be able to share something that I get excited about is a dynamic and exciting adventure to be on,” he said.

Klapperich, a seventh-grader at Palmer Middle School, worked with Valley senior citizens. In addition to singing and playing piano at the center, Klapperich helped the residents exercise, talked with them and served meals.

&#8220I felt it was important to share my time and talents with the seniors because all too often they don't have much interaction with anyone, especially the youth of their community,” she said. &#8220I have been inspired by listening to their accomplishments over the years. Each person has a unique story to tell,” Klapperich said.

In addition, the program judges recognized Alicia Adams of Palmer, a senior at Wasilla High School, as a Distinguished Finalist. She will receive an engraved bronze medallion.

Adams developed an awareness campaign to warn young people about the dangers of methamphetamines. After receiving a grant from the National Crime Prevention Council, Adams created an interactive display for the Alaska State Fair, and delivered a presentation to 100 youth and adults at a 4-H camp.

All middle and high schools in the U.S., along with a number of community organizations such as the 4-H and YMCA, were eligible to nominate a student for a local Prudential Spirit of Community Award. Winners were chosen based on criteria such as initiative, creativity, effort, efficacy, and personal growth.

The students were honored April 21 at the Prudential Centerpoint Building in Anchorage.

Contact Will Elliott at 352-2250 or will.elliott@frontiersman.com