Anyone of us can make a difference; including the young ones. Being a role model or a great example to the members of the community doesn’t require age limit or whatever. One of the best examples to date is a young girl from Minnesota. Here’s her story…

Natalie Hayford, 16, of Andover, Minn., has been chosen to be the recipient of The Allstate Foundation's inaugural "Teen Activist of the Year Award" for her dedication and leadership role in encourage teens to drive safely.

"I take activism very seriously, and it's a big part of my life. I love helping others and encouraging positive choices in my peers, and I feel very lucky to be rewarded for something I love. The prize is a tribute to the hard working members of my Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) chapter as well, who worked with me on the activities. I hope to continue to convey safe driving habits for years to come," says the teenager Hayford.

Hayford stood up from a collection of brilliant teen activists from across the country to receive a $10,000 cash award from The Allstate Foundation. The cash prize Hayford won will be placed into a college fund. The honored teen chose the Anoka High School SADD chapter to accept an extra $5,000 grant in her honor offered by The Allstate Foundation to carry on youth safety efforts.

"Teens have the power to positively influence their peers and communities and ultimately curb teen driving deaths. We are so impressed by the meaningful advocacy work America's teens engaged in during 2007, but Hayford truly went above and beyond in working to raise awareness for this critical issue. We hope more teens will follow her lead," says David Prendergast, assistant field vice president of Allstate's Midwest Region.