DATE: 3/6/07

CONTACT: Beverley Connelly, 843-470-3655; bconnel@clemson.edu

Beaufort County 4-H’er wins Volunteer Service Award

PORT ROYAL – Beaufort County 4-H’er Joshua A. Barnett has been honored for exemplary volunteer efforts with a President’s Volunteer Service Award.

The award recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of time to serve their communities and their country. It was presented by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program on behalf of the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation.

Barnett, 17, participated in the Spirit of Community program this year as a representative of Beaufort County 4-H and Cross Water 4-H Club, where he serves as president. He is a senior at Community Bible Church Christian Academy.

He earned the award by volunteering in the community through the Beaufort County 4-H program, Community Bible Church and Haiti Christian Mission.

Sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program recognizes young people across America for outstanding community service activities.

“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 Art Ryan, chairman and ceo of Prudential Financial. “They deserve all the praise and encouragement we can give them.”

Volunteer activities were judged on criteria such as personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact and personal growth.

“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. “We are proud to honor them, as they are wonderful examples of the high caliber of young people in our nation’s schools today.”

The National Association of Secondary School Principals, based in Reston, Va., represents the nation’s middle level and high school principals, assistant principals and aspiring principals. Prudential Financial, based in Newark, N.J, serves individual and institutional customers worldwide, offering a variety of products and services in the areas of insurance, investment, securities, banking and real estate.

END