North Carolina youth honored as Prudential Emerging Visionary

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Michael Brode, a 17-year-old student from Winterville, has been named a 2024 Prudential Emerging Visionary for his dedication to improving lives. He will receive a $5,000 award and an invitation to the 2024 summit at Prudential's headquarters in Newark, New Jersey. The program recognizes young individuals aged 14-18 who offer innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

Winterville student will receive a $5,000 award and an invitation to the 2024 summit for his work addressing the challenges of a changing world.

NEWARK, N.J., Feb. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Brode, 17, of Winterville, today was named a 2024 Prudential Emerging Visionary for his inspiring commitment to improving the lives of others.

As one of 25 Prudential Emerging Visionary winners, Michael will receive a $5,000 award to help take his innovation to the next level. He is also invited on an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential's headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where he will be coached by Prudential employees and have the chance to meet other young leaders.

Prudential Emerging Visionaries recognizes young people ages 14-18 whose fresh perspectives and innovative solutions address pressing financial and societal challenges in their communities. The program's goals align with Prudential's purpose: to make lives better by solving the financial challenges of our changing world.

"I am inspired by the students' sense of purpose and commitment to driving positive change in their communities," said Chairman and CEO Charles Lowrey. "We're honored to support these young leaders as they bring their extraordinary projects to life."

During the summit, to be held April 20-23, five winners will also have the opportunity to present their solutions in a pitch-off, where a grand prize winner will be awarded an additional $10,000 in funding. What's more, Prudential employees will again vote to name an Employees' Choice Award winner, who will receive an additional $5,000.

North Carolina's 2024 Prudential Emerging Visionary:

Michael Brode is the founder of "Crypto Debunked," an immersive learning platform that teaches young people about financial topics such as cryptocurrency and blockchain to bridge the financial education gap facing young people in underserved communities.

Growing up in a rural town with a large percentage of the population living at or below the poverty level, Michael saw financial literacy as a way for individuals to "create new wealth-building opportunities and foster an entrepreneurial mindset." As a result, Michael created age-appropriate, easily accessible resources for young people like online courses, a mobile application, blogs and a book. Michael has partnered with 15 schools and 25 nonprofit organizations to incorporate his cryptocurrency and financial education curriculum into their offerings, reaching more than 5,500 young people.

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is sponsored by Prudential in collaboration with Ashoka, a leading organization in the social impact sector, with advisory support provided by the Financial Health Network, an authority on financial health and a longtime partner of The Prudential Foundation.

The program is an evolution of Prudential's Spirit of Community Awards, which honored more than 150,000 outstanding youth volunteers over 26 years.

To read about all of this year's Prudential Emerging Visionaries, visit prudential.com/emergingvisionaries.

About Prudential Financial
Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE: PRU), a financial wellness leader and premier active global investment manager, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Prudential's diverse and talented employees help to make lives better by creating financial opportunity for more people. Prudential's iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit news.prudential.com.

About Ashoka
Ashoka is the largest global network of leading social entrepreneurs — individuals with new ideas to systemically address the world's biggest challenges and the entrepreneurial skill to transform those ideas into national, regional and global social impact. Over 40 years, Ashoka has supported more than 3,600 social entrepreneurs in 90 countries with solutions addressing society's most pressing issues. Ashoka's vision is a world in which Everyone is a Changemaker — a society that responds quickly and effectively to challenges, and where each individual has the freedom, confidence and societal support to address any social problem. For more information, visit ashoka.org.

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SOURCE The Prudential Insurance Company of America

FAQ

Who is the 2024 Prudential Emerging Visionary from Winterville?

The 2024 Prudential Emerging Visionary from Winterville is Michael Brode.

What award will Michael Brode receive?

Michael Brode will receive a $5,000 award.

Where will the 2024 summit be held?

The 2024 summit will be held at Prudential's headquarters in Newark, New Jersey.

What is the age range for participants in the Prudential Emerging Visionaries program?

Participants in the Prudential Emerging Visionaries program are aged 14-18.

What is the purpose of the Prudential Emerging Visionaries program?

The purpose of the Prudential Emerging Visionaries program is to address financial and societal challenges through innovative solutions.