Today, The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards begins its search for Georgia's top youth volunteers of 2015.

Now through November 4, students in grades 5-12 are invited to apply for Prudential Spirit of Community Awards if they have made meaningful contributions to their communities through volunteer service within the past 12 months. The application is available at http://spirit.prudential.com and www.nassp.org/spirit.

This program year marks The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards’ 20th year of honoring youth volunteers. The program, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), was created in 1995 to recognize middle level and high school students for helping people in need, promoting health and safety, protecting the environment, or volunteering in other ways. The awards are presented annually on the local, state and national level.

“Prudential is proud to recognize young people who contribute to the well-being of their communities through volunteer service,” said Prudential Chairman and CEO John Strangfeld. “We look forward to honoring the nation’s top youth volunteers of 2015, and hope their stories will inspire others to consider how they can serve their communities.”

Georgia's top youth volunteers of 2014 were Colin Humble, 18, of Marietta and Remington Youngblood, 13, of Duluth. Colin, Georgia's top high school volunteer, helped start an outreach program at his

church that provides essential items to homeless veterans, distributes food to families in need, serves a weekly hot meal, and reconditions bicycles to help the homeless get around. Remington, Georgia's top middle level volunteer, established a nonprofit organization that has collected more than $72,000 in cash and donated items to soldiers, veterans and their families.

Applicants for 2015 awards must complete their online applications by November 4, 2014, then submit them for certification to a middle or high school principal, Girl Scout council, county 4-H agent,

American Red Cross chapter, YMCA or HandsOn Network affiliate. Paper application forms can be requested by calling 877-525-8491.

Participating schools and local organizations will select Local Honorees in early November and present them with Certificates of Achievement. These Local Honorees also will receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Barack Obama if they have contributed the minimum number of volunteer hours to qualify (50 hours for age 14 and younger, 100 hours for older students). All Local Honorees are then reviewed by a state-level judging committee, which will name the top two candidates from each state and the District of Columbia – one high school student and one middle level student – as State Honorees on February 10, 2015. These State Honorees will receive $1,000 awards, engraved silver medallions, and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., with a parent for four days of recognition events May 2-5, 2015. Distinguished Finalists at the state level will receive bronze medallions, and runners-up will receive Certificates of Excellence.

In Washington, a distinguished national selection committee will name 10 of the 102 State Honorees as America’s top youth volunteers of the year. These National Honorees will receive additional awards of $5,000, gold medallions, crystal trophies for their nominating schools or organizations, and $5,000 grants from The Prudential Foundation for nonprofit charitable organizations of their choice.

“Across the United States, middle level and high school-aged volunteers are changing their communities for the better,” said JoAnn Bartoletti, executive director of NASSP. “We are honored to celebrate the contributions of these young leaders.”