Robbie Palmisano (’15), on April 16, received his Prudential Spirit of Community Award. To see more on Robbie’s award, refer to the article below written by Abby Laporte for the Harbinger’s March Issue.

Prudential Spirit of Community Awards:

Website: http://m.spirit.prudential.com/mspirit/

Or Google search NASSP and/or Prudential Spirit of Community awards

On February 10, Robert (Robbie) Palmisano (’15) was named the top high school Maryland volunteer and was notified as an honoree for the Prudential Spirit of Community Award, which is the largest youth recognition program based solely on volunteer service . He was awarded for having a significant amount of service hours dedicated to donating used and new sports equipment to Baltimore children.

Robbie first got the idea to collect and donate sports equipment when he heard a school in the Baltimore suburb was going to throw away 200 pairs of roller skates. Instead of letting them go to waste, he contacted the school and brought them home himself. He cleaned them and distributed them to an elementary school in Baltimore.

Determined to help more children in his area, Robbie began contacting recreation centers and schools for any old or unneeded sports equipment. He would make regular deliveries of sports equipment including surplus baseball bats, soccer balls, football pads, lacrosse sticks and other items to Baltimore’s inner city

Of course he couldn’t fulfill his service all by himself. He was able to get help for his nonprofit organization “All Kids Should Play” from, not only Hereford, but from companies including Under Armor, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Brooks-Huff Tire & Auto Centers. Also contributing were the Fifth District Elementary School, the Hereford Recreation Council, the Hunt Valley Church, Dave Fitzpatrick, Forest Hill Lacrosse, and Imelda Hill. With all of this help, he was able to collect 8,000 items and sports equipment worth $120,000.

“I truly love the community service work that I do.” he said. “I hope it will inspire others to take the same actions to help kids in their own communities.”

For this award, He received 1,000, a silver medallion, and an all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C. On the trip, he will go with the other state honoree Ellie, a 7^th grader at Glenwood Middle School, and participate in four days of national recognition events with other honorees in the District of Columbia for a chance to be named America’s top youth volunteers of 2015.