Academy Award-winning Actress Susan Sarandon Congratulates Manasvi Koul, 18, Of Waxhaw (center) And Casey Sokolovic, 13, Of Winterville (right) On Being Named The Top Two Youth Volunteers In North Carolina For 2011 By The Prudential Spirit Of Community Awards. Manasvi And Casey Were Honored At A Ceremony Sunday Night, May 1, At The Smithsonian's National Museum Of Natural History In Washington, D.C., Where They Each Received A $1,000 Award.

Two North Carolina students, Manasvi Koul, 18, of Waxhaw and Casey Sokolovic, 13, of Winterville, were honored in the nation’s capital last night for their outstanding volunteer work during the presentation of The 2011 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. The two young people – along with 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country – received $1,000 awards as well as personal congratulations from Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon at the 16 ^th annual award ceremony and gala dinner reception, held at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.

Academy Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon congratulates Manasvi Koul, 18, of Waxhaw (center) and Casey Sokolovic, 13, of Winterville (right) on being named the top two youth volunteers in North Carolina for 2011 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. Manasvi and Casey were honored at a ceremony Sunday night, May 1, at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., where they each received a $1,000 award.

Manasvi and Casey were named the top high school and middle level youth volunteers in North Carolina last February. In addition to their cash awards, they received engraved silver medallions and an all-expense-paid trip with their parents to Washington, D.C., for this week’s recognition events.

“The Prudential Spirit of Community honorees have seen problems in their communities and around the world and have taken action,” said Ms. Sarandon. “Their compassion to help others should give us all a lot of hope for the future.”

Manasvi, a senior at Marvin Ridge High School, founded a nonprofit organization that educates people about becoming bone marrow donors, and has persuaded more than a hundred volunteers to assist with recruiting donors to register with the National Marrow Donors Program. Four years ago, Manasvi needed a bone marrow transplant to fight a very aggressive form of cancer, but could not find a match since many ethnic communities are poorly represented in bone marrow registries. Instead, she had to undergo a very long and risky alternative treatment, which ultimately proved successful. “Surviving one relapse and progressive cancer is truly a miracle,” said Manasvi. “When I got well, I knew I needed to do something for others, not because I wanted to, but because I had to.”