CASSELBERRY, Fla.---You don't have to be big to make a big difference, at least not if you are Stacey Hillman, 11. A member of the Seminole County 4-H club, Hillman was one of two 4-H'ers named America's top ten youth volunteers for 2002 by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.

For her 4-H project, Hillman started "Pennies to Protect Police Dogs" in March 2000 when she was nine years old. In two years, the sixth-grader has raised more than $150,000 through collection drives, community donations and fundraising. The funds purchased 175 bulletproof vests for police dogs in Florida and in other states.

Community service is an important part of 4-H learning experiences, said club organizers. "Young people have tremendous potential to impact society in positive ways that they are often not recognized for," said Marilyn Norman, state 4-H leader at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

The inspiration for Hillman's project came from reading a magazine article about the dangers facing police dogs in the line of duty. Her goal is to protect every police dog in the country by supplying each with a bulletproof vest.

"It takes a lot to organize a charity. She has put lots of effort and hard work into making that project happen and it is really invaluable for the police agencies," Shelda Wilkens, 4-H agent in Seminole County. Hillman was nominated for the award through 4-H and selected from a field of 28,000 nominees on the basis of personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact and personal growth.

"Many 4-H'ers do volunteer projects. This is an example of one project that expanded to have statewide and even national impact," said Wilkens. She said that the Seminole County 4-H Teen Club conducted a literacy service project providing tutoring in a public housing project in Sanford.

Hillman encourages other young people to get involved. "If all kids helped out in the community, we would have a great world," said Hillman.

"The volunteer spirit is part of the fabric of American life. Giving back to the community helps youth develop life skills and builds communities that are strong and resilient for all of us," said Norman.

She said that 4-H is celebrating its centennial this year and is collecting "Power of YOUth" pledges through its Web site at http://www.4hcentennial.org. 

According to National 4-H Council, more than 200,000 pledges representing 3.7 million hours of community service have already been logged. 

Held at the Reagan International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. last month, the ceremony recognized Hillman and 4-H member William Dunckelman, 11 of Houma, Louisiana, and 8 other national honorees. As a national honoree, Hillman received $5,000, an engraved gold medallion and a crystal trophy. The ten national honorees will have $250,000 in toys and apparel donated in their names to needy children by Kids in Distressed Situations.

Conducted in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards have honored more than 40,000 youth volunteers at the local, state and national levels since they began seven years ago.

The 4-H program, which celebrates its centennial in 2002, is the youth development program of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, which is part of UF/IFAS in Gainesville. 4-H worked with more than 287,000 youth ages 5-18 last year in Florida and has programs active in all of Florida's 67 counties and on five Seminole Tribes reservations in South Florida.

For more information visit http://www.florida4h.org or contact the county extension office in your area.

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