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Charlie Wilcox, 14, of Lindstrom has been honored for his exemplary volunteer service with a state-level Certificate of Excellence from the 2008 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program. Charlie was nominated for this award by Chisago Lakes Middle School in Lindstrom, where he is an eighth grader.

Presented annually by Prudential Financial, in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards honor young people across America for outstanding community service activities.

Charlie also has received a President's Volunteer Service Award from the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, which recognizes Americans who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to service their communities and their country.

Charlie earned his awards by working incredibly hard as the Chisago Lakes Middle School Student Council President. Charlie has led several community service projects including landscaping around Lindstrom City Hall, renovating the teacher's lounge, collecting toys for Santa Anonymous and organizing the school's Pennies for Patients campaign drive. Charlie also is committed to riding his bicycle to and from school EVERY day this year. Charlie also play in the Minnesota Tuba Christmas group.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, now in its 13th year, also recognizes the top middle level and high school volunteer in each state and the District of Columbia, and will name America's top ten youth volunteers in May. Nearly 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 Arthur F. Ryan, chairman 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. "NASSP" 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 Volunteer Centers. After Local Honorees were named, state-level judges selected State Honorees, Distinguished Finalists and Certificate of Excellence recipients. Volunteer activities were judged on criteria such as personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact and personal growth.

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