Brien McMahon Student Receives Prestigious Award

Norwalk, CT -- Druha Karunakaran has been honored for his exemplary volunteer service with a President's Volunteer Service Award.

The award, which recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country, was presented by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards on behalf of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. Druha participated in the Spirit of Community program this year as a representative of Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk where he is a student.

Sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program recognizes young people across America for outstanding community service activities. More than 250,000 young people across America have been considered for these awards since the program began in 1995.

"The recipients of these awards vividly demonstrate that young people across America are making remarkable contributions to the health and vitality of their communities," said John R. Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial. "They truly deserve all of the praise and encouragement we can give them."

"The young people recognized by the Spirit of Community Awards demonstrate an enormous capacity for giving and reaching out to those in need," said Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. "NAASP is proud to honor them as they are wonderful examples of the high caliber of young people in our nation's schools today."

Program applications were distributed last September through all public and private middle level and high schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCA's, and affiliates of HandsOn Network. After local honorees were named, state-level judges selected State Honorees, Distinguished Finalists, and Certificates of Excellence recipients. Volunteer activities were judged on criteria such as personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact, and personal growth.

NAASP, based in Reston, VA, is the preeminent organization of and national voice for middle and high school principals, assistant principals and aspiring school leaders from across the United States and more than 45 countries around the worlds. Prudential Financial, based in Newark, NJ, provides more than 50 million individual and institutional customers worldwide with life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds, investment management, and real estate services.