Breaking News 5
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, June 9, 2015
The grandson of two Panola Countians has been honored as one of Mississippi’s top two youth volunteers for 2015. Shields Haire, 14, of Tupelo, grandson of Nell Foshee and Dr. Billy Haire of Batesville, received the Prudential Spirit of Community Award in Washington, D.C. May 3.
Shields Haire, 14, of Tupelo, grandson of Nell Foshee and Dr. Billy Haire of Batesville, received the Prudential Spirit of Community Award in Washington, D.C. May 3.
The son of Robin and Anne Haire of Tupelo, Shields was cited for raising nearly $8,000 for tornado relief following storms that struck Tupelo last spring.
Shields, and 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country, each received $1,000 awards and personal congratulations from “Good Morning America” co-anchor Robin Roberts at a gala dinner 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 Shields Mississippi’s top middle level youth volunteer in February. Katie Rogers, 18, of Collins, was the winner in the high school division, honored for her volunteer work in a children’s hospital and with the American Cancer Society.
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.
Shields, an eighth-grader at Tupelo Middle School, raised nearly $8,000 by selling T-shirts he helped design to assist in the rebuilding of four local churches after they were severely damaged or destroyed by a tornado that struck Tupelo last spring.
Huddled in his basement, Shields listened as the tornado ripped through his town. When he finally was able to walk outside, “it was like a bomb had exploded, a new world,” Shield said. “I didn’t know Tupelo anymore.”
Shields felt he needed to do something positive in the wake of the disaster, and decided to help four churches because they do so much for people in his community.
“I thought ‘how can I do this?’ and it hit me: everybody needs a T-shirt!”
Shields worked with a graphic artist to design a T-shirt that read “I survived the Tupelo Tornado” on the back and “Tupelo Strong” along with a Bible verse on the front.
He placed an order for shirts, made posters to hang around town, and with the help of his family, began spreading news of his project. Shields sold shirts at his school, at his parents’ businesses, and at local events.
After stories about the T-shirt appeared on TV and in the local newspaper, sales quickly escalated. It wasn’t long before Shields had sold more than 400 shirts and was able to present almost $2,000 to each of the four churches.
“This made me realize the impact that one small idea can make,” said Shields.
At the banquet, Prudential Financial CEO said, “As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, we are delighted to recognize the 2015 honorees for their exemplary volunteer service. These young people have demonstrated leadership, compassion and perseverance, and we look forward to seeing all they accomplish in the future.”
