Stars Support Service for TeenNick HALO Awards, 12/10

TeenNick, Nickelodeon's 24-hour TV network exclusively for and about teens and tweens, will partner with mega-stars Mariah Carey, Ashton Kutcher, Rosario Dawson and Wyclef Jean to recognize four deserving teens who are philanthropic leaders in their communities in the second annual TeenNick HALO Awards. Conceived, hosted and executive produced by TeenNick Chairman Nick Cannon, the hour-long special that honors real-life teens who are "Helping And Leading Others" (HALO) will premiere Friday, Dec. 10, at 8:00 p.m. (ET) on TeenNick, followed by an encore on Nick at Nite at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT). TeenNick partnered with the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) to provide the grants and scholarships awarded to each HALO honoree.

"The TeenNick HALO Awards continues to inspire young people to become agents of change," said Cannon. "These four teens help and lead others because they believe it's the right thing to do, which is why they deserve to be acknowledged and supported to continue their work."

"On the heels of last year's success, we're very happy to have four new mega-stars on board to celebrate these extraordinary teens that have made a difference in their communities," said Marjorie Cohn, Executive Vice President, Original Programming and Development, Nickelodeon. "This year's TeenNick HALO Awards contains inspirational stories that we hope will encourage more teens to contribute to their communities in real and meaningful ways."

"We are proud to join TeenNick in recognizing the exceptional commitment of these four teens, and to acknowledge the great work that Nickelodeon does in encouraging community spirit in young people," said Lisa Paulsen, President and CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation.

Each teen honoree was surprised by a visit from Cannon and, in partnership with EIF, awarded a grant for their organization, a scholarship fund and an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet and connect with a celebrity who shares a similar passion for their cause. This year's TeenNick HALO Award honorees are:

Herold Charles, 18, Miami, Fla. ? Originally from Jacmel, Haiti, Herold moved to Miami five years ago for a better education. While his family was spared from the earthquake that hit Haiti last January, he dedicated his time to help 25 families in the U.S. locate their loved ones. Since then, he was worked with Humanity Road, Help Haiti Heal and Help Chile Heal to help those who continue to suffer. His HALO match is Wyclef Jean who also keeps the plight of Haiti alive with continued rebuilding efforts and by providing scholarships to Haitian children through his Yele Haiti Foundation.

Joshua Hall, 17, Brooklyn, N.Y. ? During his freshman year in high school, Joshua was chosen to be a part of Journey for Change: Empowering Youth Through Global Service and was selected to travel to Ghana where he spent 10 days with children enslaved in the fishing industry. This first-hand experience is what compels Joshua to use his voice to advocate for the eradication of child slavery and for basic human rights for all children. His HALO match is Ashton Kutcher who started the DNA Foundation (www.demiandashton.org) to raise awareness about child sex slavery by changing cultural stereotypes that facilitate this horrific problem and rehabilitate innocent victims.

Lauren Huichan, 18, Albuquerque, N.M. ? A troubled foster kid, Lauren was kicked out of multiple homes before choosing to change the course of her life with the support of the youth advocates Adelante. Now president of the group, she works to change the foster care system in New Mexico, advocate for teens in the system and ensure that other teens and kids do not have as hard a time as she did. Lauren's HALO match is Mariah Carey, an active Board member of the Fresh Air Fund, whose Camp Mariah enables inner-city youth to explore educational paths and career options while enjoying camp adventures.

Jordan Somer, 16, Papillion, Neb. ? A pageant queen since age 4, Jordan created Miss Amazing, a pageant for young women ages 5 to 35 with both physical and mental disabilities. Her HALO match is Rosario Dawson who shares her passion for female empowerment as an active board member of V-Day, a global activist movement to stop violence against women and girls.

The Entertainment Industry Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, is the leading charitable organization of entertainment industry, and has distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to support programs addressing critical health, education and social issues. Visit www.eifoundation.org or www.iParticipate.org.

TeenNick, the 24-hour TV network exclusively for and about teens and tweens, is available in more than 71 million households via cable, digital cable and satellite, as well on mobile, VOD and broadband. TeenNick's distinct perspective connects its audience to the electricity and possibilities of teendom, anytime and anywhere, with original series and ever-popular favorites. TeenNick and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

 

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