Jemison High School senior Ashland Blankenship recently received a Prudential Spirit of Community Certificate of Excellence for her service to the community.

Blankenship received the recognition for her work in spearheading a Rescue 1 Task Force at Jemison High School.

The group of about 10-12 students started meeting in October 2013 to raise awareness concerning human trafficking in the United States and abroad.

Blankenship learned about Rescue 1 Global, an organization based out of Nashville, Tenn. that spends time educating and raising awareness about human trafficking.

Blankenship, along with her church Amazing Grace Worship Center, invited the community to attend a weekend rodeo in August 2013 to raise money to combat human trafficking around the world.

The rodeo was the fifth-annual Rescue 1 Rodeo held at Ray’s Arena on Chilton County 191 in Jemison.

Blankenship said she submitted an essay about her involvement with the Rescue 1 Global Missions including both the Rescue 1 Task Force and help with the rodeo.

“I wrote the essay in November and found out I had been selected for a certificate of excellence,” Blankenship said. “It was nice to be recognized.”

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards is a nationwide program honoring young people for exemplary acts of volunteerism.

In addition to the state honorees, the program’s judges recognized 234 students nationwide as distinguished finalists for their community service activities and more than 500 other applicants were awarded certificates of excellence for their volunteer work.

Blankenship plans to graduate in May and is currently concentrating on college applications.

Currently, the Rescue 1 Task Force at JHS has been collecting supplies to donate to various rescue shelters for those involved in human trafficking.

“We will have our next meeting in March, but everyone has been working to collect various things to distribute to the shelters,” Blankenship said.

Blankenship said she is also working to encourage her classmates to participate in a Rescue 1 5K March 15 at Veterans Park off Highway 119 in Alabaster.

“The race will benefit Rescue 1 Global Missions,” Blankenship said.

For more information about Rescue 1 Global, visit www.rescue1global.org.