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The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is proud to announce the five newest, nationwide winners of the prestigious Power of Children Awards. 2016 marks the 12th year that young people in grades 6-11, are recognized and rewarded for improving the lives of others through selfless commitment to service and the betterment of society.
In alphabetical order by last name (and by grade at the time of nomination), the 2016 winners are:
- Cameron Northern, Grade 8, Martinsville, Indiana
Project: Fundraising for Nyaka Aids Orphans Project
Cameron raises money and collects school supplies so that orphaned children half-way around the world (Uganda, Africa) can go to school. Most of these children are devastated from losing parents to HIV/AIDS. From competing in a sponsored triathlon herself, to asking donors to individually sponsor orphaned kindergarteners, Cameron has made a big difference in the lives of hundreds of African children. - Anthony O'Leary, Grade 9, San Diego, California
Project: Voices for Children Speaking, Fundraising and Recruiting
Anthony knows first-hand how “scary” some foster homes can be. He also knows how wonderful volunteer advocates called CASA’s (Court Appointed Special Advocates) can be and what a difference they can make in children’s lives. Anthony’s mission is to recruit more caring adults into CASA training. To do that, he has moved out of his comfort zone and into a public speaking circuit, raising $1.2M in one event. - Julia Robinson, Grade 7, Indianapolis, Indiana
Project: “Love Yourself” Fashion Show
Julia lives near a homeless shelter. Watching discouraged, sad women come and go gave Julia the inspiration to organize a special fashion show at the shelter. The models were the shelter residents. Donations of money, clothes, accessories, makeovers and a photo shoot gave women the confidence to move forward with changing their lives. - Rahil Thanawala, Grade 9, Fishers, Indiana
Project: TheSnapLink
When Rahil noticed his grandmother losing her ability to recognize family members due to Alzheimer’s disease, he created magnetic puzzles and flashcards with their names. Upon seeing her improvement, he created a project that encourages medical personnel and caretakers of Alzheimer patients to use photo and music therapy in their treatments. He is expanding his own puzzles and games on a new website and app. - Renita Zaparde, Grade 11, Plainsboro, New Jersey
Project: Pedal2Prosperity, Inc.
After Renita met an orphaned teenage girl from India who shared how she walks over three miles every day to go to school, Renita founded a nonprofit organization which provides bicycles to orphaned girls in India and Africa. In the four years since starting Pedal2Prosperity, Inc., students in 52 schools across the U.S. and Canada have joined Renita to send bicycles overseas.
These remarkable young people will be honored during a special dinner and program at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis presented by Deborah Joy Simon Charitable Trust on Friday evening, November 11, 2016. The recipients will each receive a $2,000 grant from the Kroger Foundation to expand their philanthropic projects, and they may choose a partial university scholarship from IUPUI, UIndy, or Butler University.
This year’s event will feature keynote speaker, Jeanne White Ginder, the mother of Ryan White, one of three youths who are featured in the museum’s Power of Children exhibit. At the young age of thirteen, Ryan was one of this nation’s first hemophiliacs to be diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, which he contracted through a tainted blood treatment. Ryan was bullied and discriminated against in his hometown as he fought the right to attend school. Ryan and his mother took his battle to federal court and won.
The 2016 honorees will inspire and educate many more young people about the power of philanthropy when they participate in the Power of Children Symposium the day after receiving their awards. This special event at The Children’s Museum creates an opportunity for young people in grades 5-10 to understand and design ways in which they can make a difference in their world. The symposium will be held on Saturday, November 12, 2016, and is free to registered participants.
About The Children's Museum of Indianapolis
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is a nonprofit institution committed to creating extraordinary learning experiences across the arts, sciences, and humanities that have the power to transform the lives of children and families. For more information about The Children's Museum, visit www.childrensmuseum.org, follow us on Twitter @TCMIndy, Facebook.com/childrensmuseum and YouTube.com/IndyTCM.
