Students from Lake Oswego and Florence among nation's top youth volunteers | OregonLive.com

Students from Lake Oswego and Florence among nation's top youth volunteers | OregonLive.com

Students from Lake Oswego and Florence among nation's top youth volunteers

By Phil Manzano, The Oregonian

May 03, 2010, 12:50PM

View full sizePrudential Spirit of Community AwardsAmy Carlton, center, and Taylor Graham, right, meet with former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice in Washington D.C. Monday where they received the national Prudential Spirit of Community Awards.Two Oregon students, Amy Carlton of Lake Oswego, and Taylor Graham of Florence, were named two of the nation's top 10 youth volunteers today for their work combating hunger.

Ten students from across the nation received the national Prudential Spirit of Community Awards for outstanding community service Monday. Prudential received more than 21,000 applications and two students were chosen from each state and flown to Washington D.C. to be considered for the national award.

Officials said it was rare for two of the 10 national award winners to come from the same state.

Carlton, a senior at Lake Oswego High School, started a non-profit called Teens Fighting Hunger when she was 15. In three years, the group has raised more than $63,000 to combat hunger.

After learning about the number of children going hungry in the U.S. during a freshman history class, Carlton started raising money by selling jewelry she had been making as a hobby. She met with lawyers and accountants to create the nonprofit and recruited other teens to make jewelry, hats, scarves, greeting cards and other items to sell. She founded "Hunger Fight Club" which has more than 70 students.

Carlton said meeting other students and hearing about their projects inspired and humbled her. One student in particular, Alie B. Gorrie of