Lisbon seventh grader recognized as a top youth volunteer in Maine

A Philip W. Sugg Middle School seventh grader who has logged more than 1,000 volunteer hours has received national recognition for her efforts.

Miranda Torrey, 12, who helps with charities like Maine Children’s Cancer Program and the Make-A-Wish Maine, is one of two Maine youths given the Prudential Spirit of Community Award this year.

Torrey reads to children at a local library, promotes anti-bullying education and participated in many community events advancing a variety of causes.

“I really love helping people,” Miranda Torrey said. “I like seeing the smiles on their faces.”

Torrey began volunteering at age six when she began was competing in the Maine Academic Scholarship Pageant, an annual fundraiser for Crossroads Youth Center, a non-profit youth organization as well as Unite Against Bullying ME and the Crown CARES operated for charitable and educational purposes. The pageant strongly promotes volunteering.

Nominated by her school for the Prudential Spirit award, Torrey will receive a $2,500 scholarship for college. If selected as one of 10 national award recipients she could get another $5,000 scholarship and a $5,000 grant for the charity of her choice.

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is held annually by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals and honors students in grades 5-12 for making meaningful contributions to their communities through volunteer service.

Also honored is Grace Davie, 16, of Sanford, for her work with the Sanford Backpack Program, which provides food to students from food-insecure households.

“I learned early on that it’s important to consider what other people deal with,” Torrey said in a news release. “I saw so many struggling just to put food on their tables or take care of sick family members. There are so many ways that we can help our community.”

Miranda Torrey, 12, helps collect food during a food drive. Contributed photo

At one of the first events that she volunteered at, “I met a girl with cancer and later on a few months later, we found out she had died of cancer,” Torrey said, which had a lasting effect.

She has also been affected by bullying, which is another issue she has tried to tackle. She created an organization called Kids Speak, which, through its Facebook page, works to create a safe place for youth to express themselves.

“I was meeting all these people at events talking about their stories about being bullied,” she said. “With that, I created an online organization where kids can go to talk about anything. Kids shouldn’t be bringing each other down, they should be bringing people up.”

Her mother, Rachel Torrey, said her daughter has never before been recognized for the volunteer work she does in the community.

Miranda Torrey said she has enjoyed the recognition but also being able to spread the news about how people, no matter how young, can make a difference in the world. “I just want to spread the message that they can change things and it really doesn’t take a lot of work to change someone’s life,” she said.

Miranda Torrey said she is eyeing both architect and interior design as possible careers but regardless of where her future leads, said she will continue volunteering.