LAPLACE — The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards will grant two Louisiana honorees $1,000 scholarships, a medallion and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C.

Today through Nov. 5, the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is looking for Louisiana’s top youth volunteers of the year. Students in fifth through 12th grade are invited to apply for 2020 awards if they have made meaningful contributions to their communities through volunteer service within the past 12 months. The application is available at spirit.prudential.com and nassp.org/spirit.

Sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards contest was created in 1995 to recognize outstanding volunteer work of middle and high school students. Charles Lowrey, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc., said that while the world has changed, young volunteers continue to commit to remarkable and meaningful work.

“As we enter our 25th year, we remain inspired by these young people and their stories of service, and hope that they’ll inspire others to get involved, too,” Lowrey said.

To apply for a 2020 Prudential Spirit of Community Award, students and certifiers must complete the online application by Nov. 5 and submit the application to their principal or head of a local participating organization, such as the head of a Girl Scout Council, or 4-H organization. Students can request a paper application by calling 888-651-2951. Certifiers review all applications for their school or organization and select a local honoree to nominate for state-level judging by Nov. 15.

On February 4, 2020, the top middle level and high school volunteers from Louisiana will receive $1,000 scholarships, engraved silver medallions and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., with a parent or guardian for four days of recognition events from May 2-5, 2020.

In Washington, a distinguished national selection committee will name 10 of the 102 State Honorees as America’s top youth volunteers of the year.

These National Honorees will receive additional $5,000 scholarships, gold medallions, crystal trophies for their nominating schools or organizations, and $5,000 grants from The Prudential Foundation for nonprofit charitable organizations of their choice.

Other awards are available on the national level, according to program coordinators.c