Middle School Students Make a Difference

　　Thirteen-year-old Morgan Mariner was honored for her statewide antibullying campaign. She travels to school districts throughout Wyoming to deliver her message that "it's cool to be kind." She used her own money to buy and distribute silicone wristbands with the slogan "Kind Kids Rock."

　　Shelby Romero of Hutto, Texas, raised nearly $400,000 over the past three years for a horseback-riding therapy center for disabled children. The 12-year-old's fund-raising generated enough money for a covered horseback-riding arena to be built and to provide scholarships to children in families that cannot afford therapy.

　　Twelve-year-old Beatrice Thaman started a donation and fund-raising drive to provide vitamin tablets to poor children in the Central American country of Guatemala. When her family adopted Beatrice's younger sister from Guatemala, Beatrice learned about the country and its poverty. After doing some research on malnutrition, Beatrice decided that providing vitamins would be the best thing she could do. Over the last three years, her efforts have provided a year's supply of vitamins to more than 500 children.

　　This the 14th year for the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. The program was created to encourage youth volunteerism and reward young role models.