Prudential Spirit of Community Awards honors Hoover students

Jessica Bradley, 17, of Hoover is one of Alabama's top two 2019 youth volunteers and was honored by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a nationwide program honoring young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism, in February.

As State Honoree, Jessica and her counterpart each receive $1,000, an engraved silver medallion and an all-expense-paid trip in early May to Washington, D.C., where they will join the top two honorees from each of the other states and the District of Columbia for four days of national recognition events. During the trip, 10 students will be named America’s top youth volunteers of 2019.

Jessica, a senior at Hoover High School, empowers young women interested in science, technology, engineering and math by holding monthly meetings to learn about STEM subjects and work on technology-related projects.

As a young Latina, Jessica said people have often underestimated her abilities. Luckily, Jessica had a strong role model in her mother, who started her own business. Wanting to follow in her mom’s footsteps, Jessica decided to focus on computer science and business, where women are often underrepresented and paid lower salaries, she said.

Jessica formed the STEM service organization about two years ago to give girls the skills and confidence to overcome gender barriers and succeed in STEM fields. With help from her computer science teacher, Jessica asked every elementary and middle school principal in her school district to distribute information about her initiative and invite their female students to a series of monthly workshops.

For each meeting, Jessica prepares a short STEM lecture and organizes a technology-related activity. Only three girls showed up for the first meeting, but attendance has since grown to more than 30. Jessica also has organized STEM days at elementary and middle schools.

A fellow Hoover teen, 18-year-old Duha Aishah, was also a distinguished finalist for the award and received a bronze medallion.

Duha is a senior at Islamic Academy of Alabama and founded a program that sponsors six orphaned children around the world, providing clothing, meals, education and vaccinations, as well as an allowance for toys. She enlisted more than 200 of her fellow students to help with the project. She also co-founded her school’s humanitarian club, which mobilizes students to clean the school and neighborhood, fundraise, visit nursing homes and feed homeless people.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Award, now in its 24th year, is conducted by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Submitted by Prudential Financial