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Award-Winning Youth Volunteers from Gorey and Baltimore honoured in Washington

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Two of Ireland’s top youth volunteers of the year – Sophie Donnelly, 19, of Gorey, Co. Wexford and Michael Keohane, 17, of Baltimore, Co. Cork – have been honored at a gala awards ceremony at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History during the 20th annual presentation of the U.S. Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. 

Sophie and Michael were presented with special commemorative trophies by Prudential Financial CEO John Strangfeld during the evening event, which is held each May to present awards to America’s top two youth volunteers from each state. The honorees were also personally congratulated for their outstanding volunteer service by “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts.

Sophie and Michael were named top youth volunteers by Ireland’s Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards program in March. They received awards including an all-expense-paid trip to special recognition events in Washington, D.C.

Commenting on the trip Sophie said, “Travelling to Washington Dc to attend the Prudential Spirit of Community awards as one of Ireland's top two volunteers of 2015 was by far the most amazing week of my life. I have met so many inspirational young people who I am an thankful to for sharing the volunteering stories with me and I have made extraordinary friends for life. I have memories for life and I am so grateful to have been awarded the chance to travel to the USA. The future is looking very optimistic!” Following Sophie’s sentiments, Michael said, “Our time in Washington was not only once in a lifetime but the best experience I have ever been given the pleasure to be a part of. Finding one highlight from the 4 days is near to impossible but what stands out for me is the close bonds I made with the other honourees from all over the world. They inspired and taught me a great deal.”

Sophie, a sixth-year student at Presentation Secondary School, Co. Wexford, has a keen interest in volunteering and is involved in many mental health initiatives. Since the loss of her sister to suicide, Sophie has become passionate about raising awareness of how common mental illness can be, and promoting the message “it’s OK not to feel OK.” Sophie wants to combat the stigma of mental illness and suicide, and has gone about doing so in a number of ways. In 2013, Sophie undertook a training week at St. Patrick’s mental health hospital. Since then, she has held a “Walk in my Shoes” day at her own school and introduced it to other schools throughout Wexford. The event encourages students and teachers alike to wear mismatched shoes in order to appreciate how those suffering from mental illness feel when being judged by others. The event raised a total of €1,300. Sophie also is a keen participant in Cycle Against Suicide (CAS), having cycled both in this event and their monthly spinoff programmes. Sophie also founded her school “Mental Health Awareness Team,“ and through this has organized a number of activities promoting positivity throughout the school.  

Michael, a sixth-year student from St. Fachtna’s De La Salle, Skibbereen, Cork, promoted youth mental health by helping to found and establish the “Youth in Action” project “Skibb Scenes” in January 2013, offering cinema facilities and a social outlet to young people in the local community. Michael set up supportive workshops around the theme of “Skibb Smiles” and, through the C.O.P.E. Foundation in Skibbereen, worked closely with clients with intellectual disabilities. In August 2014, Michael took on his biggest challenge with the Aurelia Trust and traveled to Romania to work with young adults with disabilities who had been institutionalized from birth. Through his fundraising and awareness-raising activities, Michael was approached by his local newspaper to become a youth reporter, and has written several articles about the tasks that face young people in the local community. “My own past experiences have inspired me to work hard for the charities that I am involved in, and I want to continue to promote positive mental health awareness for the young people of Skibbereen,” he said.

“We are honored to celebrate these young volunteers for making an impact on their communities, and for inspiring others to consider how they might do the same,” said John Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc. “They have demonstrated compassion, leadership and perseverance through their exemplary volunteer service, and we look forward to seeing all they accomplish in the future.”  

Also attending the event were top honorees from Prudential Spirit of Community Awards programs in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India and China.  

During their trip to Washington, D.C., Sophie and Michael also joined the other international honorees and the American honorees to share volunteering experiences and perspectives, and toured the major sights and landmarks of America’s capital. This morning, they visited a Washington, D.C. elementary school to deliver donated books for their schoolchildren and libraries. 

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards were created by Prudential in 1995 to encourage youth volunteerism and to identify and reward young role models. The awards program was introduced in Japan in 1997, in South Korea in 1999, in Taiwan in 2000, in Ireland in 2006, in India in 2010 and in China in 2013.

To learn more about Ireland’s Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards, visit http://spirit.pramerica.ie/.  ENDSFor Further Information contact Shane Finnegan or Caroline Murphy at Aiken PR on 02890663000 or caroline@aikenpr.com

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