-- 102 student volunteers earn $1,000 awards, silver medallions and trip to nation's capital --

(BLACK PR WIRE)--WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Some fed the hungry. Others supported U.S. troops and veterans. Many created programs to inspire a love of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in other students.

Those are just some of the stories of the 102 youth volunteers – two from each state and the District of Columbia – who today were named State Honorees by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring students in grades 5-12 for outstanding volunteer service. The awards program, now in its 20th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Each of the 102 State Honorees will receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion and an all-expense-paid trip in early May to Washington, D.C. for four days of national recognition events. During the trip, 10 of them will be named America’s top youth volunteers of 2015.

In addition to the State Honorees, the program’s judges recognized 234 students nationwide as Distinguished Finalists for their impressive community service activities. Each will receive an engraved bronze medallion. More than 500 other applicants were awarded Certificates of Excellence for their volunteer work. (See attached list of State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists.)

Many of this year’s State Honorees and Distinguished Finalists were recognized for helping people with cancer and raising money for research. Several helped communities recover from, and prepare for, natural disasters. A number of these top youth volunteers provided food, books and school supplies to young people in need, and many more found ways to involve other students in community service activities.

Learn about the volunteer activities of each State Honoree and Distinguished Finalist at http://spirit.prudential.com.

“Prudential is honored to celebrate the contributions of these remarkable young volunteers,” said Prudential Chairman and CEO John Strangfeld. “By shining a spotlight on the difference they’ve made in their communities, we hope others are inspired to volunteer, too.”

“These students have not only improved their communities through their exemplary volunteer service, but also set a fine example for their peers,” said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP. “Each of their stories is proof of the impact one young person can have when they decide to make a difference.”

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 HandsOn Network affiliates, 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 2015. These National Honorees will receive additional $5,000 awards, gold medallions, crystal trophies and $5,000 grants from The Prudential Foundation for nonprofit charitable organizations of their choice.

Since the program began in 1995, more than 100,000 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 and China. 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 on behalf of President Barack Obama.

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the leading organization of and voice for middle level and high school principals, assistant principals, and school leaders from across the United States and 35 countries around the world. The association connects and engages school leaders through advocacy, research, education, and student programs. NASSP advocates on behalf of all school leaders to ensure the success of each student and strengthens school leadership practices through the design and delivery of high quality professional learning experiences. 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 Association of Student Councils. For more information about NASSP, located in Reston, VA, visit www.nassp.org.

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.

Editors: For full-color pictures of the Spirit of Community Awards program logo and medallions, click here: http://bit.ly/Xi4oFW

State Honorees:
Corinne Phillips, 17, Hope Christian School, Pelham
Samuel Sherling, 12, Fort Dale Academy, Greenville

Distinguished Finalists:
Cameron Gallups, 14, Hewitt-Trussville Middle School, Trussville
Brittany McDade, 18, Faith Christian School, Anniston
Kerri Tang, 16, Hoover High School, Hoover
Morgan Whetstone, 17, Spain Park High School, Hoover

State Honorees:
Cassandra Adams, 17, Ketchikan High School, Ketchikan
Amara Sanguni, 12, Girl Scouts of Alaska, Anchorage

Distinguished Finalists:
Jayton Rizzo, 18, American Red Cross of Alaska, Anchorage
Jenevia Wika, 15, South Anchorage High School, Anchorage

State Honorees:
Matthew Kaplan, 17, Tesseract School, Phoenix
Benjamin Meyer, 14, Emmanuel Lutheran School, Tempe

Distinguished Finalists:
Meagan Bethel, 17, Tucson High Magnet School, Tucson
Tara Dugel, 17, Phoenix Country Day School, Paradise Valley
Ciella Hatfield-Burke, 17, Lake Havasu High School, Lake Havasu City
Charles Huang, 18, BASIS Oro Valley, Oro Valley
Emily Jordan, 18, Xavier College Preparatory High School, Phoenix
Reid Maurice, 18, Shadow Mountain High School, Phoenix

State Honorees:
Heather Jackson, 17, Pike County 4-H, Murfreesboro
Colbe Cortez, 12, Bethel Middle School, Alexander

Distinguished Finalists:
Rebecca Aguilera, 17, Maumelle High School, Maumelle
Mary Bryant, 17, Valley View High School, Jonesboro
Hannah Colford, 17, Arkansas Baptist High School, Little Rock
Katherine Sanders, 17, Batesville High School, Batesville

State Honorees:
Kenzie Hall, 17, Great Oak High School, Temecula
Raghav Ganesh, 12, Joaquin Miller Middle School, San Jose

Distinguished Finalists:
Dahkota Brown, 16, Argonaut High School, Jackson
Morgan Davidson, 17, New Community Jewish High School, West Hills
Alec Dominick, 17, Harvard-Westlake School, Studio City
Kevin Huo, 16, San Mateo High School, San Mateo
Angela Liu, 16, American Red Cross, San Marino
Samantha Ludes, 17, Newport Harbor High School, Costa Mesa
Anant Pai, 17, Redlands Senior High School, Redlands
Sonali Ranaweera, 14, Del Mar High School, San Jose
Ryan Traynor, 15, Saint Francis High School, Mountain View
Alexander Triestman, 13, Don Juan Avila Middle School, Aliso Viejo

State Honorees:
Sydney Burckhardt, 17, George Washington High School, Denver
Madison Tatinski, 10, Corwin International Magnet School, Pueblo

Distinguished Finalists:
Addison Kleinhans, 10, Colorado Digital Academy, Lakewood
Garrett Ann Nevins, 17, Mountain Vista High School, Highlands Ranch
Nicole Steiner, 16, Legend High School, Parker
Breanna Wheeler, 18, Cherokee Trail High School, Aurora

State Honorees:
Samantha Petersen, 17, Petersen Homeschool, South Windsor
Holly Johnson, 13, Elisabeth C. Adams Middle School, Guilford

Distinguished Finalists:
Mikaela-Rose Blanchard, 18, East Windsor High School, East Windsor
Bridget Smith, 18, Girl Scouts of Connecticut, Hartford
Colin Wrinn, 17, Xavier High School, Middletown
Jane Zhang, 17, Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford

State Honorees:
Elizabeth Quesenberry, 17, Padua Academy High School, Wilmington
Piper Biggs, 11, Kent County 4-H, Dover

Distinguished Finalists:
Hyung Jun Hahn, 18, Alexis I. du Pont High School, Wilmington
Will Kenney, 12, Millsboro Middle School, Millsboro

State Honorees:
Dionne Wright, 17, Columbia Heights Education Campus, Washington, D.C.
Hewan Abera, 14, Saint Augustine Catholic School, Washington, D.C.

Distinguished Finalists:
Harriet Fink, 18, Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, Washington, D.C.
Jordan Giles, 17, Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital, Washington, D.C.

State Honorees:
Carolina Gonzalez, 18, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, Miami
N’Jhari Jackson, 12, The Paideia School of Tampa Bay, Tampa

Distinguished Finalists:
Rachel Barcellona, 18, Dunedin High School, Dunedin
Alain Carles, 17, Ransom Everglades School, Coconut Grove
Katerina Garcia, 16, Archbishop Edward McCarthy High School, Southwest Ranches
Sydney Hamilton, 16, Key West High School, Key West
Joshua Katz, 12, Franklin Academy Charter School, Lake Worth
Eve Moll, 16, St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Fort Lauderdale
Jared Shadkin, 15, iPreparatory Academy, Miami
Oliver Stern, 14, Ransom Everglades School, Coconut Grove

State Honorees:
Evan Barnard, 16, Johns Creek High School, Johns Creek
Carter Ries, 13, Konos Academy, Fayetteville

Distinguished Finalists:
Katie Dionne, 17, North Hall High School, Gainesville
Jack Griffin, 16, Peachtree Ridge High School, Suwanee
Ansley Knight, 16, Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, Mableton
Hayden Elizabeth Ramsey, 18, Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, Mableton
Joshua Seides, 16, Alpharetta High School, Alpharetta
Samantha Stahlman, 17, Riverwood International Charter School, Sandy Springs

State Honorees:
Alexandra Skrocki, 17, Radford High School, Honolulu
Kaytlen Akau, 13, Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School, Lihue

Distinguished Finalists:
Jasmine Doan, 18, Seabury Hall School, Makawao
Jillian Madanay, 17, Lutheran High School of Hawaii, Honolulu

State Honorees:
Chandler Beard, 18, North Fremont High School, Ashton
Tracie Bates-Orgill, 14, Rigby Middle School, Rigby

Distinguished Finalists:
Addie Lutz, 17, Grangeville High School, Grangeville
Benjamin Seabourn, 14, North Junior High School, Boise

State Honorees:
Nicholas Tasiopoulos, 17, Libertyville High School, Libertyville
Madeline Hoskins-Cumbey, 14, Wheaton Christian Grammar School, Winfield

Distinguished Finalists:
Katherine Andraschko, 18, Barrington High School, Barrington
Brianna Carey, 17, Geneva Community High School, Geneva
Gabriella Cooperman, 14, Highland Park High School, Highland Park
Elizabeth Einig, 16, James B. Conant High School, Hoffman Estates
Kyla Guru, 12, Charles J. Caruso Middle School, Deerfield
Grace Khachaturian, 17, Centennial High School, Champaign
Alec Lopata, 18, Deerfield High School, Deerfield
Sam Papasotirioiu, 17, Libertyville High School, Libertyville

State Honorees:
Makenzie Smith, 15, William W. Borden Jr.-Sr. High School, Borden
Olivia Keith, 11, Sand Creek Intermediate School, Fishers

Distinguished Finalists:
Korinna Brown, 17, Maconaquah High School, Bunker Hill
Courtney Dunn, 18, Greenfield-Central High School, Greenfield
Jacob Reynolds, 18, Warsaw Community High School, Warsaw
Gradyn Rogers, 15, Kokomo High School, Kokomo
Hannah Roper, 18, Hamilton Heights High School, Arcadia
Alexandra Skinner, 17, Lincoln High School, Vincennes

State Honorees:
Mark Baudler, 17, Nodaway Valley High School, Greenfield
Morgan Border, 13, Webster County 4-H, Fort Dodge


Distinguished Finalists:
Jennifer Baldwin, 17, North Scott Senior High School, Eldridge
Alex Freeman, 18, North Scott Senior High School, Eldridge
Jenna Harris, 11, Waukee Middle School, Waukee
Emily Montelius, 16, Jefferson High School, Cedar Rapids

State Honorees:
Megan Keller, 18, Wichita Northwest High School, Wichita
Caitlyn Willis, 13, Andover eCademy, Andover

Distinguished Finalists:
Reagan Dillow, 18, Erie High School, Erie
Paul Freeman, 18, Rockhurst High School, Kansas City
Nghia Jones, 18, International Connections Academy, Baltimore
Amber Kelly, 17, Atchison County 4-H, Effingham

State Honorees:
Madeline Stephenson, 17, Cumberland County High School, Burkesville
Amelia Lowe, 11, Greathouse/Shryock Traditional Elementary School, Louisville

Distinguished Finalists:
Hadeel Abdallah, 17, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Lexington
Alexandra Griffiths, 18, Green County High School, Greensburg
Hannah Irvine, 17, Boyd County High School, Ashland
Alexandria Myers, 18, Christian Academy of Louisville, Louisville

State Honorees:
Stephanie Durr, 18, Captain Shreve High School, Shreveport
Madeline Bethea, 13, Webster Junior High School, Minden

Distinguished Finalists:
Stanley Celestine, 15, Avoyelles 4-H, Mansura
Sean Noel, 13, Mandeville Junior High School, Mandeville
Isabella Summersgill, 15, Archbishop Hannan High School, Covington
Jack Sweeney, 17, Louisiana School for Math Science and the Arts, Natchitoches

State Honorees:
Meghan Charest, 16, Falmouth High School, Falmouth
Kevin Ayotte, 14, Madawaska Middle/High School, Madawaska

Distinguished Finalists:
Emma Cloyd, 18, Camden Hills Regional High School, Rockport
Parker Montano, 17, Cheverus High School, Portland

State Honorees:
Robert Palmisano, 17, Hereford High School, Parkton
Ellie Feaga, 12, Glenwood Middle School, Glenwood

Distinguished Finalists:
Isabella Allen, 13, Crofton Middle School, Crofton
Vasiliki Argeroplos, 16, Garrison Forest School, Owings Mills
Zachary Azrael, 18, Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School, Baltimore
Athena Kan, 16, River Hill High School, Clarksville
Sareana Kimia, 16, home school, Bethesda
Marie Sgouros, 17, Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, Baltimore

State Honorees:
Brian Salit, 18, Seekonk High School, Seekonk
Megan O’Donovan, 13, Milford Public Schools, Milford

Distinguished Finalists:
Annie Barringer, 17, Needham High School, Needham
Alexander Corcoran, 18, Dracut Senior High School, Dracut
Ella Dehestani, 18, Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School, Upton
Alexander Denmark, 17, Sandwich High School, Sandwich
William Digravio, 17, Plymouth North High School, Plymouth
Mekalia Mason-Rollins, 17, Whitman-Hanson Regional High School, Whitman

State Honorees:
Hunter Gandee, 15, Bedford High School, Temperance
Caleb White, 12, Clifford H. Smart Middle School, Walled Lake

Distinguished Finalists:
Alexis French, 17, Mattawan High School, Mattawan
Curtis Hsu, 17, Athens High School, Troy
Sophia Koolwick, 17, Everest Collegiate High School, Clarkston
John McHarg, 17, Alpena High School, Alpena
T’Yara McMillan, 17, Mercy High School, Farmington Hills
Megan Notoriano, 17, Regina High School, Warren
Michael Shao, 18, Detroit Country Day School, Beverly Hills
Julia Teatro, 17, Fenton Senior High School, Fenton

State Honorees:
Shivani Nookala, 17, Breck School, Golden Valley
Alanna Worrall, 12, Anoka Middle School, Anoka

Distinguished Finalists:
Claire Baker, 18, Totino-Grace High School, Fridley
Emily Matlack, 18, Carlton High School, Carlton
Manashree Padiyath, 13, Math and Science Academy, Woodbury
Shrey Pothini, 11, Harriet Bishop Elementary, Savage
Rachael Price, 17, Minnetonka High School, Minnetonka
Kelly Reger, 18, Edina High School, Edina

State Honorees:
Katie Rogers, 17, Simpson County Academy, Mendenhall
Shields Haire, 13, Tupelo Middle School, Tupelo

Distinguished Finalists:
Mary Mock, 17, Columbia High School, Columbia
Elizabeth Phillips, 17, New Hope High School, Columbus
Tolar Purvis, 18, Jackson Preparatory School, Flowood
Kimberly Sanchez, 18, Biloxi High School, Biloxi

State Honorees:
Nicole Shah, 16, Greenwood Laboratory School, Springfield
Blake Harris, 14, Congress Middle School, Kansas City

Distinguished Finalists:
Sophie Bernstein, 15, Clayton High School, Webster Groves
Taylor Brooks, 18, Dora High School, Dora
Aileen Markovitz, 18, Eureka High School, Eureka
Jade McNeil, 17, Troy Buchanan High School, Troy
Jordan Richardson, 18, Platte County High School, Platte City
Yearam Tak, 18, St. Charles County Family YMCA, St. Peters

State Honorees:
Keegan Nicholson, 17, Loyola Sacred Heart High School, Missoula
Jayson Wanner, 13, East Middle School, Great Falls

Distinguished Finalists:
Shelbi Fitzpatrick, 18, Cut Bank High School, Cut Bank
Emily Jones, 16, Ravalli County 4-H, Hamilton

State Honorees:
Melissa Newkirk, 17, Burke High School, Omaha
Cole Jacobsen, 13, Cuming County 4-H, West Point

Distinguished Finalists:
My’Kah Knowlin, 13, Lux Middle School, Lincoln
Kendra Staab, 18, Broken Bow High School, Broken Bow

State Honorees:
Nasya Mancini, 17, Edward C. Reed High School, Sparks
Lexie Wilder, 11, Lummis Elementary School, Las Vegas

Distinguished Finalists:
Ryan Bobo, 14, Nevada Connections Academy, Reno
Nathaniel Devera, 18, The Meadows School, Las Vegas
Gillian Eastman, 17, Southwest Career and Technical Academy, Las Vegas
Keely Eshenbaugh, 17, Coronado High School, Henderson

State Honorees:
Daniel Iacopucci, 18, Belmont High School, Belmont
Elizabeth Hughes, 11, Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, Bedford

Distinguished Finalists:
Zoe Perkins, 17, Windham High School, Windham
Elizabeth West, 15, Merrimack Valley High School, Penacook

State Honorees:
Arturo (AJ) Mattia, 15, Holy Cross Academy, Delran
William Cook, 13, Westwood Regional Jr./Sr. High School, Township Of Washington

Distinguished Finalists:
Soo Bean Jo, 18, Bergen Academy for Business and Finance, Hackensack
Valerie Kologrivov, 18, Ramapo High School, Franklin Lakes
Jessica Levy, 18, Washington Township High School, Sewell

Sabina London, 17, Northern Valley Demarest High School, Demarest
Jessica Martin, 18, Manalapan High School, Englishtown
Olivia Perlmutter, 18, Chatham High School, Chatham

State Honorees:
Renaya Demarest, 18, East Mountain High School, Sandia Park
Justin Allen, 14, Holy Ghost Catholic School, Albuquerque

Distinguished Finalists:
Issach Martinez, 18, Independence High School, Rio Rancho
Matthew Villareal, 18, St. Pius X High School, Albuquerque

State Honorees:
David Jaslow, 17, Roslyn High School, Roslyn
Jake Gallin, 12, Volunteer New York!, Tarrytown

Distinguished Finalists:
James Fallon, 13, H.C. Crittenden Middle School, Armonk
Sara Friedman, 18, Sleepy Hollow High School, Sleepy Hollow
Shay Kerwin, 10, Wynantskill Union Free School District, Troy
Devin Mueller, 17, Nardin Academy High School, Buffalo
Brook Peters, 18, McBurney YMCA, New York
Lillian Pravda, 15, Ramaz School, New York
Eric Ramsay, 17, Bay Shore Senior High School, Bay Shore
Damon Villnave, 11, Gillette Road Middle School, Cicero

State Honorees:
Davis Dawson, 16, Jay M. Robinson High School, Concord
Samuel Park, 12, Harris Road Middle School, Concord

Distinguished Finalists:
Anna Chesson, 17, Riverside High School, Williamston
Jeffrey Friday, 17, Forestview High School, Gastonia
Madison Howell, 17, Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont, Colfax
Kaitlyn Karcher, 17, Smoky Mountain High School, Sylva
Megan Maness, 17, Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont, Colfax
Lauren Matlosz, 16, High Point Fine Arts Academy, High Point

State Honorees:
Nichole Hanzel, 18, Killdeer High School, Killdeer
Lauren Knoll, 13, Park Christian School, Moorhead

Distinguished Finalists:
Lauryn Hinckley, 15, Century High School, Bismarck
Emily Lothspeich, 17, Wyndmere High School, Wyndmere

State Honorees:
Morlan Osgood, 16, Loveland High School, Loveland
Rachel Prior, 12, Tallmadge Middle School, Tallmadge

Distinguished Finalists:
Justin Bachman, 17, Solon High School, Solon
Kylynn Buchanan, 18, Washington County 4-H, Marietta
Eva Dickinson, 18, Our Lady of the Elms High School, Akron
Emma Moore, 10, L. T. Ball Intermediate School, Tipp City
Christian Musarra, 18, Nordonia High School, Macedonia
Alex O’Brien, 15, Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy High School, Cincinnati
Mariah Reynolds, 16, The School for Creative and Performing Arts, Cincinnati
Abigail Walouke, 18, William Mason High School, Mason

State Honorees:
Alexandria (Lexie) Lerblance, 16, Pittsburg County 4-H, McAlester
Malayna Stober, 13, Carl Albert Middle School, Midwest City

Distinguished Finalists:
Emma Duncan, 17, Edmond North High School, Edmond
Gloria Tso, 17, Bartlesville High School, Bartlesville
Taylor Wood, 18, Chattanooga High School, Chattanooga
Alana Wynn, 17, American Red Cross, McAlester

State Honorees:
Marissa McGinnis, 17, Mazama High School, Klamath Falls
Noah Miller, 14, Duniway Middle School, McMinnville

Distinguished Finalists:
Jessi Beyer, 16, Valley Catholic High School, Portland
Grant Crim, 19, Winter Lakes High School, Coquille
Talia Quatraro, 18, Lake Oswego Senior High School, Lake Oswego
Cynthia Santiago, 14, St. Mary’s Academy, Portland

State Honorees:
Conner Hagins, 18, Bishop McCort Catholic High School, Johnstown
Hanna Maier, 12, Prospect Park School, Prospect Park

Distinguished Finalists:
Jamie Feldman, 17, North Allegheny Senior High School, Wexford
Brynn Hackett, 18, Manheim Township High School, Lancaster
Amy Li, 16, Upper Dublin High School, Fort Washington
Cavan McIntyre-Brewer, 13, The Cove School, Duncannon
Cameron Ohrwashel, 18, Nazareth Area High School, Nazareth
Jenna Shumar, 18, Brownsville Area High School, Brownsville
Norman Stark, 18, Cathedral Preparatory School, Erie
Courtney Thurston, 17, Commonwealth Connections Academy, Dickson City

State Honorees:
Kayleigh Lapre, 16, Cumberland High School, Cumberland
Alyssa Grayson, 14, University of Rhode Island 4-H, Kingston

Distinguished Finalists:
Sarah Coutu, 11, St. Cecilia’s School, Pawtucket
Grace D’Antuono, 18, North Kingstown High School, North Kingstown

State Honorees:
Anna Price, 17, Richland Northeast High School, Columbia
John Ward, 13, Chapin Middle School, Chapin

Distinguished Finalists:
Makiah Belk, 18, Irmo High School, Columbia
Logan Fettes, 17, Hilton Head Island High School, Hilton Head
Brittany Joyce, 18, Hartsville High School, Hartsville
Shea Thomas, 17, American Red Cross Eastern South Carolina, Myrtle Beach

State Honorees:
Abbigail Boner, 17, Castlewood High School, Castlewood
Jessica Benson, 14, West Middle School, Rapid City

Distinguished Finalists:
Danika Gordon, 12, Sturgis Williams Middle School, Sturgis
Emma Lucchesi, 16, Brookings High School, Brookings

State Honorees:
Sara Puryear, 18, Harpeth Hall School, Nashville
Iyonia Boyce, 14, Collierville Middle School, Collierville

Distinguished Finalists:
Laree Carter, 13, Riverdale Elementary School, Germantown
Sarah Locke, 18, Walker Valley High School, Cleveland
Claire Martin, 18, Cornersville High School, Cornersville
Morgan Munsey, 18, Sullivan East High School, Bluff City
Abigail Ridenour, 17, Oak Ridge High School, Oak Ridge
Michael Zietz, 18, Oakland High School, Murfreesboro

State Honorees:
Cullen Corr, 16, Episcopal School of Dallas, Dallas
Eric Li, 14, Pearland Junior High West, Pearland

Distinguished Finalists:
Wilson Clark, 18, Lee High School, Midland
Karla Espinosa, 17, Sharyland High School, Mission
Jake Galant, 17, St. Mark’s School of Texas, Dallas
Jocelyn Hernandez, 18, STEM Academy @ Lee High School, San Antonio
Courtney Janecka, 11, River Valley Intermediate School, McGregor
Sanah Jivani, 17, Klein Collins High School, Spring
Grace Knight, 17, Bishop T.K. Gorman Catholic School, Tyler
Abigail Moorhead, 16, St. John’s School, Houston
Katherine Thomas, 17, Plano West Senior High School, Plano
Kayce Welch, 17, Texas High School, Texarkana

State Honorees:
John Wesley Orton, 18, Innovations Early College High School, Salt Lake City
Amelia Slama-Catron, 13, Midvale Middle School, Midvale

Distinguished Finalists:
Alexis Carlsen, 17, Davis High School, Kaysville
Emilee Hamilton, 17, Mountain Crest High School, Hyrum
Marina McNeill, 17, Riverton High School, Riverton
Yvonne Ward, 17, Bountiful High School, Bountiful

State Honorees:
Alexina Federhen, 17, Mount Anthony Union High School, Bennington
Abigail Jacunski, 13, Mater Christi School, Burlington

Distinguished Finalists:
Abby Miles, 17, Harwood Union High School, Waterbury
Peter Wilson, 16, Woodstock Union High School & Middle School, Woodstock

State Honorees:
Emma Buchanan, 18, Patrick Henry High School, Glade Spring
Thomas “Tucker” Durham, 13, Holman Middle School, Glen Allen

Distinguished Finalists:
Bryce Badura, 17, Clover Hill High School and the Math and Science High School at Clover Hill, Hopewell
Unity Bowling, 15, Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond
Hannah Hardison, 17, Millbrook High School, Winchester
Lauren Henk, 18, Smithfield High School, Smithfield
Madeline Rosso, 17, James Wood High School, Winchester
Maeve Winter, 16, Western Albemarle High School, Crozet

State Honorees:
Leah Shin, 18, Henry M. Jackson High School, Mill Creek
Fiona Cowell, 12, Thurston County 4-H (Steamboat Island Kibbles & Bits Dog 4-H Club), Olympia

Distinguished Finalists:
Sujan Bhandari, 18, Foster Senior High School, Tukwila
Sebastian Castilleja, 16, Prosser High School, Prosser
Joshua Dugger, 18, Kettle Falls High School, Kettle Falls Mount Vernon
Jessica France, 17, Mount Vernon High School,
Skyler Hamilton, 15, Meridian High School, Bellingham
Nina Reckinger, 17, Newport Senior High School, Bellevue

State Honorees:
Thad Taylor, 17, Huntington High School, Huntington
Emilee Ellison, 12, Wood County 4-H, Parkersburg

Distinguished Finalists:
Ginny Blake, 17, Huntington High School, Huntington
Ryan Thompson, 16, Wood County 4-H, Parkersburg

State Honorees:
Marlaina Perelshtein, 17, Grafton High School, Grafton
Lia Haile, 11, Stangel Elementary School, Manitowoc

Distinguished Finalists:
Eric Beets, 18, Burlington High School, Burlington
Hannah Doyle, 18, Brookfield Academy, Brookfield
Mary Graebner, 18, J.I. Case High School, Racine
Maya Murzello, 18, Appleton North High School, Appleton
Nicolas Spindt, 11, Kettle Moraine Middle School, Dousman
Connor Wears, 18, Amery High School, Amery

State Honorees:
Laura Harris, 17, Green River High School, Green River
Trinity Rich, 11, Douglas Upper Elementary School, Douglas

Distinguished Finalists:
Adam Jones, 18, Burlington High School, Burlington
Hannah Nieslanik, 17, Cokeville High School, Cokeville