WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King congratulated Benjamin Levesque of Lyman and Connor Archer of Stillwater for being named Maine’s top Youth Volunteers for 2016 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. In addition to being named a top volunteer for Maine, Connor Archer was also named one of the top ten youth volunteers in the nation.

“Connor and Benjamin join impressive company as Maine’s top youth volunteers for 2016, and we are thrilled to congratulate them on their wonderful accomplishments,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “These two young men are shining examples of the spirit of service that makes Maine special, and we thank them for all their hard work to make Maine an even better place to live.” 

Connor Archer, 18, and Benjamin Levesque, 14, were officially recognized as Maine’s top youth volunteers earlier this week at a ceremony held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History along with honorees from all 50 states and the District of Colombia. The event honored each of the 102 State Honorees for 2016, and each State Honoree received a $1,000 award, an engraved silver medallion, and an all-expense-paid trip with a parent to Washington for this week’s series of recognition events.

A senior at Old Town High School, Connor Archer works to raise public awareness about autism and the challenges faced by people with autism, like himself. Connor was diagnosed with autism when he was 3 years old. With his parents as tireless advocates, they found a preschool that helped him develop his full potential. Wanting to give back to the school that had helped him, Connor created “sensory learning gardens” for the children there. After deciding he wanted to do more for children with special needs, he founded the “Courageous Steps Project,” a walk-run fundraiser that benefits local schools that help children with special needs. Through those efforts, he has raised more than $12,000 for organizations that help people with special needs.

An eighth-grader at Massabesic Junior High School, Benjamin Levesque has been actively involved in several different community service projects over the past three years through Boy Scouts and his school. One example of Benjamin’s service includes when he reached out to his town hall to ask if he could volunteer at the local cemetery. Together with the head of the cemetery committee, Benjamin removed debris from the cemetery grounds and replaced old, tattered flags on veterans’ graves with new ones.

As a National Honoree, Connor Archer will receive an additional $5,000 award, an engraved gold medallion, and a crystal trophy for his school. Connor will also be able to choose a nonprofit charitable organization to receive a $5,000 grant from The Prudential Foundation.

Established in 1995, the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards has grown into the nation’s largest youth recognition program based entirely on community service. Now in its 21^st year, the program has honored more than 100,000 young volunteers at the local, state, and national level.

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