Michigan's top two youth volunteers of 2019, Emily Potter, 17, of Dowagiac and Emma Eimers, 13, of New Haven, were honored in the nation's capital last night for their outstanding volunteer service during the 24th annual presentation of The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.
Emily and Emma – along with 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country – received a $1,000 award and personal congratulations from award-winning actress Viola Davis at an award ceremony and gala dinner reception held at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), named Emily and Emma Michigan's top high school and middle level youth volunteers in February.
In addition to their cash awards, they each received an engraved silver medallion and an all-expense-paid trip with a parent to Washington, D.C., for four days of recognition events.
Emily, a senior at Dowagiac Union High School, is actively involved in numerous projects to enhance the welfare of her Native American tribe, and has served as a volunteer counselor at a youth camp during each of the past several summers.
Emily's grandmother was her main connection to the Potawatomi tribe, and when she died, "I wanted to know more about where I came from and the teachings of Native traditions," said Emily. That led to her joining the tribe's youth council in 2016, which has enabled her to play a leading role in addressing several tribal issues.
For example, she coordinated a project to provide most of the newborns in the tribe with a new handmade blanket, gave up Saturdays to clean a highway that the tribe adopted, and promoted sustainable farm land management and healthy eating choices among tribal members. "I feel my tribe has given me so much as a person and I want to give back to my community," said Emily.
She also has been volunteering as a camp counselor for three weeks every summer, serving as a leader, mentor and role model for girls 7-14 years old. On duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Emily supervised group projects such as crafts and rope activities, and worked with her campers one-on-one to tackle challenges from overcoming homesickness to tying shoelaces.
When Emily was a young camper at the summer camp years ago, she was inspired and encouraged by her counselors to be a better person and try new things, she said. "I feel like it was my duty to pass this along to the campers that are now attending."