Principals Recognize Freshman For Volunteerism

This article was submitted by Swampscott High Principal Layne Millington.

Moira Landry, a freshmen at , is being recognized with six other Massachusetts students as Distinguished Finalists by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism.
Moira founded "" a nonprofit organization that helps homeless children express themselves creatively through art.  Moira has raised more than $13,000 in cash and in-kind donations to provide "art packs" for children ages 2-18 in homeless shelters throughout Massachusetts, and conducts hands-on art instruction in a local shelter.  She will be presented with an engraved bronze medallion in honor of her service.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a national program honoring outstanding young volunteers and sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), named Massachusetts' top two youth volunteers of 2012:

State Honoree, High School – Rebecca Ackerman, 16, of Westborough
State Honoree, Middle Level – Grace Kirrane, 12, of Fitchburg

These State Honorees, along with the top two youth volunteers from every other state and the District of Columbia, will each receive $1,000, engraved silver medallions and will be honored from May 5-8 in Washington, D.C.

The program also honored the following Massachusetts students for their volunteer service:

Distinguished Finalist – Elizabeth Belanger, 18, of Northbridge
Distinguished Finalist – Daniel Dietz, 18, of Northampton
Distinguished Finalist – Michael Firn, 17, of Dover
Distinguished Finalist – Eric Lacroix, 18, of Methuen
Distinguished Finalist – Moira Landry, 15, of Swampscott
Distinguished Finalist – Jessica Leong, 11, of Westford

About the two State Honorees:

Rebecca, a junior at Westborough High School, leads a fundraising team that has generated more than $80,000 for autism research over the past six years, and works in a variety of other capacities to raise awareness of autism.

Grace, a sixth-grader at Memorial Middle School, made 57 fleece blankets for Fitchburg’s fire and police departments to give to children rescued in emergency situations.