Helping Hand

Central Mountain senior named one of top 10 volunteers in U.S.

By LINDSAY DAVIS — ldavis@lockhaven.com
LOCK HAVEN — She’s gotten to see some of the most famous landmarks in the nation’s capital.

She’s gotten to visit congressional representatives on Capitol Hill.

She even met Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York.

But surely the highlight of Kristin Brandt’s trip to Washington, D.C. this week was being named one of the top 10 youth volunteers in the nation in the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.

“I’m shocked to be getting this award because there are so many other amazing people here,” Brandt said by phone, just minutes after being recognized.

“I couldn’t have done this without the community’s help,” she added. “I want to thank everyone who helped me.”

Brandt’s “Homes for Hope” project earned her a spot in February as the top high school youth volunteer in the state in the Prudential competition. She spearheaded an effort to build a small, ranch-style home that ultimately was given to a New Orleans area victim of Hurricane Katrina who lost most everything in the devastating storm.

That recognition meant she would win at least $1,000 and an all-expenses-paid, four-day trip to the nation’s capital this week. It also put her in the running for $5,000 award and a matching $5,000 grant to the charity of her choice.

Brandt was unsure what charity to which she would send her grant, but said the money would go toward something here in Clinton County. “I want to try to keep it local,” she said.

Through her scholarship-winning project, Brandt collected more than $20,000 and donated materials and services to build a modular home for Myrtle Ashley, an 80-year-old Pass Christian, Miss., resident who lost her home in Hurricane Katrina.

Brandt initiated and orchestrated the 16-month project with help from friends, community members and Central Mountain High School drafting and construction trades classes.

“There’s always something you can do for someone else, even if it’s the smallest thing,” she said.

The CMHS senior was also named a 2007-08 Coca-Cola Scholar in February. She was one of 250 students nationwide to receive that honor, which is accompanied by a $10,000 scholarship.

She plans to apply the scholarships toward her education at Cornell University, where she plans to study beginning this fall. She is undecided as to what her major will be.

“I want to go to law school, so it’ll probably be history or political science,” she said.

Brandt is also involved in Central Mountain athletics and extracurricular activities. She represents the school on the girls’ basketball and track and field teams.

She also participates in school dramas and musical productions and is president of Student Council and the Key Club and secretary for the CMHS Class of 2008.

Also recognized in Pennsylvania, in the middle school division, was Sean McAdam, an eighth-grader at Allen Middle School in Camp Hill.

“Kristin and Sean are inspiring examples of young Americans who care deeply about the needs of others and who have taken the initiative to help meet those needs,” said Prudential Financial Inc. Chairman Arthur F. Ryan. “By honoring them, we hope not only to give them the recognition they so richly deserve, but also to inspire others to follow their example.”

The national selection committee that chose the 10 national honorees was co-chaired by U.S. Sens John Kerry, D-Mass., and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and Arthur Ryan of Prudential Financial Inc.

Also serving on the committee were actor Richard Dreyfuss; Alma Powell, chair of America’s Promise Alliance; Michelle Nunn, president and CEO of Points of Light and Hands On Network; Amy B. Cohen, director of Learn and Serve America at the Corporation for National and Community Service; Kathy Cloninger, CEO of the Girl Scouts of the USA; Donald T. Floyd Jr., president and CEO of the National 4-H Council; Kathryn Forbes, national chair of volunteers for the American Red Cross; Neil Nicoll, president and CEO of the YMCA of the USA; Michael Cohen, president and CEO of Achieve Inc.; Barry Stark, president of the National Association of Secondary School Principals; and two 2007 Prudential Spirit of Community national honorees, Kelly Davis of West Bath, Maine, and Kelydra Welcker of Parkersburg, W.Va.

“The young people in this country are capable of doing some extraordinary things, given the time and the opportunity. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is one of the great showcases of their amazing acts of kindness and selflessness. We are pleased to once again join Prudential in honoring them for their accomplishments,” Stark said.

Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is also supported by the American Association of School Administrators, National Middle School Association, National School Boards Association, Council of the Great City Schools, National School Public Relations Association and many other national youth and service organizations.

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.