Award Recipients
The Children Have the Power to Empower® Award recognizes and showcases children and their outstanding acts of goodness in a meaningful way, giving them a platform to connect, share their stories, and see what others are doing to make a difference. On this page, you will find profiles of Award Recipients and their acts of goodness that earned them the recognition.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR AWARD RECIPIENTS!
Yashvi Rateshwar
Sarina Virmani
Sahana Srikanth
Rishika Jeyaprakash
Aniruddh Marella
Harita Suresh
Kerry Koranteng
Steven Hoffen
Pranavi Reddi
Seena Farhadi
Devika Manoj
Miran Bhima
Vanesha Hari
Gavino Delgado
Nika Hirsch
Riley Pryor
Jahin Rahman
Renee & Rhea Mendonca
Maya Blake
Owen Jassak
Devin Moore
David Lauritzen
Alexandra Walker
Jahkil Jackson
Harry & Heath Bennett
Jenesis Shaw
Shaan Patel
Genis Drake
Gavin Swihart
Jayden Perez
Nathanel Grinchpun
Angelica Krubeck
Curt Fendley
Xavier Stroud
Ashley Sinn
Paloma Rambana
Gia Mitra
Jordan Phillips
Jayna Burris
Eshan & Riya Kalra
Malaina Faith Ortega
Caden Morrow
Shay Patel
Jaylen Sanchez
Yashvi Rateshwar
Yashvi Rateshwar of Oradell, New Jersey, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she continues to perform through Melodies4Memory, the initiative she established and leads dedicated to improving the emotional well-being and cognitive engagement of senior citizens through the universal language of music. The piano concerts she has organized – most often at the piano, herself – have profound impact on the lives of seniors, particularly those living with neurodegenerative diseases.
Her creative talents, leadership skills, and genuine compassion for others enrich the lives of seniors in hospitals, senior living, and memory care facilities by encouraging them to sing along, share memories, and engage socially. In doing so, Yashvi has helped bring joy, comfort, and meaningful human connection to more than 1,800 seniors in need of emotional and social support.
Sarina Virmani
Sarina Virmani of Leesburg, Virginia, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she continues to perform through the nonprofit she founded, ElevateVoices, and her dedication to empowering underrepresented communities—locally, nationally, and internationally—through free public speaking workshops and literacy programs.
Her leadership skills, respect for structured debate, and genuine compassion for others have helped marginalized individuals find the confidence to speak up with courage, share their personal stories, and advocate for themselves and others in their families, schools, and communities. By reaching across miles and time zones and partnering with diverse groups, Sarina has helped thousands of children and young people expand their life skills and brighten their futures through the art of public speaking and the power of the personal voice.
Sahana Srikanth
Sahana Srikanth of Mason, Ohio, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she performs through the nonprofit she founded, Young Learners Foundation, and her Book Drive Initiative, which has collected and distributed more than 2,500 books (with a value of more than $20,000) to young people in need in the United States and around the world.
Her leadership skills, love of reading, and compassion for others have put thousands of books and literacy resources into the hands of boys and girls in the United States, Kenya, and Trinidad & Tobago who, on any given day, have little or no access to books of their own. Sahana is raising funds when necessary to cover packing and shipping costs, while keeping the gift of books and services 100% free to the children she serves. By reaching across the miles with gifts of books, she is helping children to expand their knowledge and brighten their futures through literacy.
Rishika Jeyaprakash
Rishika Jeyaprakash of Mason, Ohio, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she performs through her nonprofit, Little Helpers, dedicated to spreading kindness and inspiring other children to give back in profound and compassionate ways.
With kindness and dedication, Rishika has raised close to $19,000 to benefit multiple community organizations, performed more than 65 service projects benefiting those desperately in need, delivered more than 4,500 new toys to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for children facing challenging times, and engaged more than 650 child volunteers to help her in the efforts, inspiring them to be the change in their world.
Aniruddh Marella
Aniruddh Marella of Frisco, Texas, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness he performs through the nonprofit he founded, EveryoneMatters2Us, dedicated to helping children around the world receive free primary education, ensuring greater opportunities and brighter futures for those in need.
With kindness and dedication, Aniruddh has raised more than $15,000 for his humanitarian projects that include building classrooms for children in India; supporting the Texas Women’s Foundation, which benefits women and girls; and providing comfort and resources for COVID-affected patients.
Harita Suresh
Harita Suresh of Jersey City, New Jersey, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she performs through the nonprofit she co-founded, Little Apple Academy, that offers free, online coding classes to children, and through her Charity Canteen, established to feed her hungry neighbors and fellow human beings.
With kindness and dedication, Harita is providing access to computer science education that many children go without due to structural and social barriers. And she has donated more than 1,000 brown bag lunches to local homeless shelters across Jersey City, as well as funds she earned through tutoring to local food pantries.
Kerry Koranteng
Kerry Koranteng of Chicago, Illinois, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she performs through her KerryK Foundation, helping children in need in Ghana by providing shoes to those who go barefoot, daily, in harsh and unsafe conditions and by raising awareness of the plight of these young people.
With kindness and dedication, Kerry has donated more than 1,000 pairs of shoes to desperately poor and underserved children, and raised more than $4,000 to cover the cost of shipping and transporting this precious cargo directly to those in need.
Steven Hoffen
Steven Hoffen of New York, New York, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness he performs through Growing Peace, the nonprofit he founded to help people suffering from food insecurity and hunger.
With kindness and dedication, Steven has raised more than $15,000 to buy, build, and install a hydroponics system at a food bank in Tel Aviv, Israel—a food bank that provides food for, among others, asylum seekers from Eritrea and Sudan. He is expanding his humanitarian projects through additional fundraising to bring hydroponics to schools and other organizations that help those in need.
Pranavi Reddi
Pranavi Reddi of Frisco, Texas, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she performs through Kindness4All, the nonprofit she founded to demonstrate the power of kindness by engaging in projects that make the world a better place for others. As a result, her work has inspired hundreds of people to follow her lead.
With kindness and dedication, she has grown Kindness4All from a local project into a national organization, raised more than $50,000 in monetary and in-kind contributions, and touched the lives of more than 50,000 people across the country and around the world. Among other efforts, she has provided books to underfunded elementary schools, created Kindness Packs for children in hospitals, and initiated meaningful projects to thank first responders.
Seena Farhadi
Seena Farhadi of Walnut Creek, California, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness he performs on behalf of children in need through LEAP, the Learning Enrichment and Assistance Program he founded in January 2021.
With kindness and dedication, Seena works with organizations such as Homeless Outreach Program for Education and Foster Youth Services to pair tutors with homeless and foster youth in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District (Contra Costa County, CA) who are struggling academically and in need of support and mentoring. In so doing, he is giving these students access to resources and opportunities they would not otherwise have and he is kickstarting important community dialogues about educational equity and the needs of homeless and foster youth.
Devika Manoj
Devika Manoj of Suwanee, Georgia, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she performs through Blooming Seeds, her international youth-run organization that fosters science curiosity in children with special needs and provides them with free interactive science education while creating a space where people with and without disabilities can interact. Devika has led more than 30 science workshops for special needs students in 15 states and five countries, and touched the lives of thousands of special needs students and their families. She has adapted from in-person programs and workshops to online instruction during these unprecedented times with great success, which takes great initiative and confidence.
Miran Bhima
Miran Bhima of Charlotte, North Carolina, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness he performs through his international nonprofit Strive2Thrive Edu, focusing on improving educational systems and infrastructures for the benefit of underprivileged youth. Miran has raised more than $136,000 and touched the lives of more than 10,000 underprivileged young people in more than 35 developing nations. His efforts have helped build dozens of libraries and computer labs around the world, and his programs and workshops have helped equip thousands of marginalized youth with vital 21st century skills.
Vanesha Hari
Vanesha Hari of Redmond, Washington, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she began performing in 2016 when she founded the nonprofit initiative Joys of Giving, and continues to perform in many ways, along many paths, focusing on Zero Hunger and Quality Education for all children. With kindness and dedication, Vanesha has raised more than $18,000 and touched the lives of more than 700 underprivileged young people. Through countless hours of volunteering, she has helped nourish their bodies and their minds, introducing them to the joys of STEM education and collaborating with others to learn new skills and discover personal rewards.
Gavino Delgado
Gavino Delgado of Sahuarita, Arizona, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness he regularly performs in the service of others, including the cornhole tournament fundraiser he coordinated on behalf of families in need for the 2020 Thanksgiving season. Gavino designed the tournament, publicized the event, asked for donations, obtained raffle items, drew a crowd of supporters, and raised funds that went toward feeding hungry families at Thanksgiving. In bringing happiness and joy to the lives of people in need, Gavino is giving more than food and volunteer hours—he is giving love, the greatest gift.
Nika Hirsch
Nika Hirsch of Northfield, Minnesota, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she began performing when she created the This Life Rocks project to spread inspiration and happiness around the world, and continues to perform in many ways, along many paths to help others in need. Nika collects clothing and books for children entering foster care and hosts a Giving Tree to provide free mittens hats, and scarves to others in need of warm clothes and compassion. She manages an annual 100 Kind Deeds Day, gathering friends and followers on social media to perform 100 (and more) acts of service in 24 hours, and has raised thousands of dollars for several nonprofits including the Sarcoma Foundation of America.
Riley Pryor
Riley Pryor of Edmond, Oklahoma, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness he performs by collecting clothing for children in need and inspiring friends and community members to join the clothing drive effort to make a positive difference in the lives of others. This winter, Riley went door to door, collecting winter coats, sweatshirts, pants, shoes, and other cold weather items for scores of children served by Positive Tomorrows, Oklahoma City’s only school that serves homeless children. He has raised awareness of the school’s mission by speaking up and sharing the story of homelessness in-person and through social media, inspiring a culture change and commitment to a clothing drive for children in need at every change of season.
Jahin Rahman
Jahin Rahman of Queens Village, New York, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she continues to perform through her nonprofit Efforts in Youth Development of Bangladesh (EYDB), providing thousands of Bangladeshi at-risk and slum youth with the chance to pursue quality education through EYDB’s innovative educational and developmental programs. With kindness and dedication, Jahin has raised valuable funds, awareness, and support for her many projects and programs that have benefited thousands of children in need, including the construction of libraries, literacy programs, a school for street children, day care center, computer lab, bathrooms for rural schools, and a drug rehabilitation center.
Renee & Rhea Mendonca
Renee & Rhea Mendonca of Staten Island, New York, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness they continue to perform every day, making surprise deliveries of groceries, flowers, and essentials to elderly neighbors who are isolated and unable to leave home during the pandemic. Renee and Rhea have raised tens of thousands of dollars and made more than 1,000 deliveries to elderly friends and neighbors, homeless individuals, and families who have lost loved ones to the coronavirus. They even include handwritten notes letting the recipients of their kindnesses know that they are loved.
Maya Blake
Maya Blake of Montrose, Colorado, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she continues to perform year after year—birthday after birthday—by giving to others in need, ahead of herself, and encouraging her family and friends to do the same.
Her compassion has helped thousands of men, women, and children—and even animals—in need in communities across Colorado. She recently also collected hygiene essentials for those in need in Guatemala. Maya is offering more than socks, and backpacks, and toothbrushes in exchange for personal birthday gifts—she is giving love, the greatest gift.
Owen Jassak
Owen Jassak of Sauquoit, New York, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness he continues to perform helping American military veterans receive the care they deserve by raising awareness of the needs of our veterans and vital funds for Sitrin’s Military Rehabilitation Program. At an early age, Owen has learned the importance of serving those who have served our country. With passion and dedication, he has raised more than $40,000 to help make a profound difference in the lives of veterans. Owen has been the top fundraiser for his local Stars & Stripes Run/Walk and founded a flag fundraiser to honor our heroes.
Devin Moore
Devin Moore of Bay Shore, New York, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness he continues to perform through his organization #RaceToSpeakUp, which champions for anti-bullying and advocates for laws that would help keep children safe from bullying and harassment. With passion and dedication, Devin has raised awareness of the pervasive and truly destructive nature of bullying among children of all ages. He does not want other children to go through what he has experienced, so he is speaking up and making his voice heard.
David Lauritzen
David Lauritzen of Katy, Texas, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness he continues to perform through his nonprofit David’s Toy Project, helping to bring smiles to the faces of pediatric cancer patients during times when smiles are hard to find. With kindness and dedication, David has raised more than $50,000 for his nonprofit, which has allowed him to purchase and donate tens of thousands of toys to tens of thousands of children.
Alexandra Walker
Alexandra Walker of Euclid, Ohio, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she continues to perform through her charity, Alex’s Fluffy Buddies, providing soft, comforting stuffed animals to children enduring hospital stays or other crisis situations.
Her extraordinary efforts and dedication to support children in need have had an impact on a great number of children, and by extension, their families. Alexandra has raised more than $25,000 and delivered more than 2,000 fluffy buddies. She is giving more than warm, soft animals to cuddle for comfort—she is giving love, the greatest gift.
Jahkil Jackson
Jahkil Jackson of Chicago, Illinois, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness he continues to perform through Project I Am, the nonprofit he founded to build awareness of homelessness and provide Blessing Bags filled with personal hygiene and convenience items that help those in need on a daily basis.
Jahkil’s compassion has helped more than 25,000 men, women, and children in need in cities across the country, including Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Washington DC, and Houston, and across the world in countries such as Puerto Rico, Africa, and Guatemala. He has spoken to nearly 50,000 young people encouraging them to participate in giving back, and has raised tens of thousands of dollars to support the cause.
Harry & Heath Bennett
Harry and Heath Bennett of Malden, Massachusetts, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness they continue to perform through through their nonprofit, Bennett Brothers Balm. Wanting to help a friend who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Harry and Heath founded their nonprofit to manufacture and sell soothing lip and skin balms with 100% of the proceeds going toward cancer research. In addition to raising more than $35,000, they are raising awareness about pediatric cancer and the importance of research and funding, and their work is now helping thousands of cancer patients like their friend.
Jenesis Shaw
Jenesis Shaw of Rochester, New York, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she continues to perform, raising awareness about childhood cancers and providing survival bags filled with children’s necessities that bring the comforts of home to hospitalized children enduring cancer treatments. Her extraordinary efforts and remarkable dedication to support children facing cancer have had great impact on a great number of children, and by extension, their grateful families. Jenesis has raised more than $70,000 and has given away more than 200 survival bags and 1,000 toys to children in need.
Shaan Patel
Shaan Patel of Austin, Texas, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness he performs, many of them through his Shirts for Hunger project. He is helping to feed children and families in great need here and around the world, and is feeding the souls and hearts of children in other ways. Shaan has spent quality time to enrich the lives of children in Zambia. In addition to providing food and school supplies, he created innovative ways to make education fun for children of the Mother Teresa Orphanage in Lusaka by organizing spelling competitions and giving away books and soccer balls to delighted children. He taught the children math and geography, and opened their worlds of possibilities a little wider. His extraordinary efforts and remarkable dedication to help stop hunger and to help spread love here and abroad have helped more than 150 children, and by extension, their grateful families and communities.
Genis Drake
Genis Drake of Sherman Oaks, California, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness he performed by raising money to provide books for his school library. The donations he collected as he walked door to door for Dixie Canyon Elementary totaled more than $1,000. Deanna Flournoy of American Girl was so inspired by his act of goodness that she donated hundreds of books to his school library in his name. His deeply caring heart and innovative spirit have already made an impact on his school and fellow classmates. And his gift of books will continue to impact students who will come after him, as he moves on to middle and high school.
Gavin Swihart
Gavin Swihart of Romulus, Michigan, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness he performs through his Big Heart Movement, which he created to help Detroit’s homeless and less fortunate during the holiday season and winter months. The hot meals and bag lunches, as well as hats, gloves, coats, blankets, and other essential items he hands out have already made an impact on hundreds of people in need. His caring heart and innovative spirit have also influenced his family, friends, and neighbors, as the Big Heart Movement has become a community wide project. He has inspired individuals, organizations, and businesses to join his mission, with his motto, “We see you, and we care.”
Jayden Perez
Jayden Perez of Woodland Park, New Jersey, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness he performed on behalf of men, women, children, and animals in Puerto Rico affected by the devastating 2017 Hurricane Maria. Since the hurricane, Jayden has volunteered his time and organized outside resources to send food, toys, and supplies to people in Puerto Rico who need our help so desperately.
He held a Christmas toy drive and donated his own Christmas toys, money, and other gifts so children in Puerto Rico, who had lost so much, could enjoy their holidays. More than 1,100 toys were collected and more than $10,000 was raised to ship the toys to Puerto Rico and provide for other needs. He travelled to Puerto Rico with his parents and personally handed out toys to children around the island. He visited orphanages and even distributed funds to a church for a new roof. Then, he filled eight boxes—decorated with hand-drawn hearts—with baby food, formula, juice, and treats and personally delivered them to a nonprofit that shipped them to Puerto Rico. Jayden’s deeply caring heart and innovative spirit has already made an impact on entire towns in Puerto Rico, changing the lives of those people forever.
Nathanel Grinchpun
Nathanel Grinchpun of Dania Beach, Florida, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness he performed on behalf of men, women, and children in San Sebastian, Puerto Rico, affected by the devastating 2017 Hurricane Maria. He spent six extraordinary weeks going door to door, delivering gallons of water, cans of food, and his own clothes to people greatly in need. He offered hugs and prayers to people he had never met, and spent precious time with them talking, sharing, and lifting their spirits. His deeply caring heart and innovative spirit have already made an impact on an entire town in Puerto Rico, changing the lives of those people forever. He is a role model of compassion and purpose.
Angelica Krubeck
Angelica Krubeck of Cumming, Georgia, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she continues to perform through her own nonprofit Super Science Kids. By combining her two passions—science and helping children—she is engaging at risk children beyond the field of science and empowering them to believe in their potential and in themselves. The breadth of her work is deeply impressive: She built and delivered science kits; she teaches science to youngsters; she presents to organizations to gain their support and funding; and she partners with science professionals to provide science demonstrations to children. She is a role model of compassion and resourcefulness!
Curt Fendley
Curt Fendley of Paris, Texas, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for his outstanding acts of goodness he continues to perform through the organization he founded, Operation Empower, within the Boys and Girls Club of Paris, Texas. His extraordinary efforts and remarkable vision encourage other young people in his community to learn leadership and life skills, empowering them to make a positive impact on the Boys and Girls Club and make a difference in his entire community. Those he has influenced by modeling leadership and life skills now have high hopes and dreams for a better, brighter future. His caring heart and innovative spirit are making a great impact on the lives of others.
Xavier Stroud
Xavier Stroud of Oakland, California, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness he continues to perform by serving hot holiday meals to homeless individuals in Oakland, California. Moved by compassion as he daily encounters homeless encampments, he has chosen to treat people in need with respect and show them that he cares for their health and happiness. By reaching out to these individuals, he is offering them not only a plate of hot food, but his friendship, as well. His caring heart and innovative spirit are making an impact on the lives of others less fortunate.
Ashley Sinn
Ashley Sinn of Hayward, California, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for her history of service to others and for the outstanding acts of goodness she continues to perform through the organization she founded, Small Hands with Helping Hearts. Her loving nature and innovative spirit are making great impacts on children, adults, families, and animals. Among other charitable achievements, Ashley has raised thousands of dollars through her Hot Choklit for the Homeless program and assembled hundreds of care packages to help people in need. Her nonprofit, which focuses on providing volunteer opportunities for elementary school aged children, inspires other young people to engage in the causes that are dear to her, and to find causes that call to them.
Paloma Rambana
Paloma Rambana of Tallahassee, Florida, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she continues to perform through her leadership and unwavering advocacy to help children get the support they need to live better with their vision impairments. Through her Fund the Gap campaign, she is raising awareness about the gap in funding for blind and visually impaired children in Florida between the ages of 6 and 13, and she has spoken passionately in front of large audiences, including the Florida Legislature when she asked it to fund the underfunded Division of Blind Services Children’s Program that serves children in that gap age group with rehabilitation and education services. Her dream is that Florida’s blind and visually impaired children ages 6-13 get the help they need to succeed.
Gia Mitra
Gia Mitra of Castro Valley, California, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding act of goodness she performed by inspiring and participating in the creation of a library and resource center for underprivileged children in Ukwala, Kenya. Through her fundraising efforts in the United States, she raised thousands of dollars and collected art supplies, books, musical instruments, and shoes for the children of Ukwala. Partnering with the Matibabu Foundation in Kenya, she was instrumental in the planning and construction of the library and resource center, completed in June 2017 and named the Gia Library, benefiting 300 children whose lives are enriched with art, music, and books. Her caring heart and innovative spirit are making an impact on young readers and artists, who are discovering new worlds of wonder and enchantment.
Jordan Phillips
Jordan Phillips of Athens, Ohio, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she continues to perform through her Cozys for the Cure project, which has raised tens of thousands of dollars to fight breast cancer. An enterprising and caring person Jordan designs and sews coffee cup sleeves and sells them to raise funds for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. She has raised funds for a mobile mammogram unit that serves women in impoverished and rural areas, promoting awareness, providing accessibility, and saving lives. So successful has she been in helping others that her Cozys for the Cure are now sold in Walmart stores, expanding her reach and her impact. Her caring heart and innovative spirit are making an impact on women and families, whose lives are enriched—and saved—by early diagnoses.
Jayna Burris
Jayna Burris of Kennewick, Washington, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding acts of goodness she continues to perform by conducting toy drives and distributing toys to local foster youth. Over the past four years, Jayna has collected more than 5,400 gifts serving hundreds of children. In 2017 alone, she collected 1,450 gifts and helped 94 foster children. Her caring heart and innovative spirit are making an impact on children, whose faces no doubt brighten when they receive a toy or book or other item that makes them happy and opens their worlds to new adventures.
Eshan & Riya Kalra
Eshan and Riya Kalra of Chandler, Arizona, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for their history of service to others and for the outstanding acts of goodness they continue to perform through Help Humanity Today, an organization they co-founded. Their caring hearts and innovative spirits are making a great impact on children, adults, and families. They raised funds to aid refugees in Belgium, Greece, and Bulgaria; collected sports equipment for underprivileged children in Africa; and have partnered with local organizations such as Cloud Covered Streets, Matthews Crossing Food Bank, and Welcome to America Project to extend their reach.
Malaina Faith Ortega
Malaina Faith Ortega of Oakley, California, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding act of goodness she performed by creating and operating a free lending library for neighborhood children. By sharing her own books and those donated by her supporters, Malaina is empowering children, whose lives are enriched with every word they read, every book they complete. Her caring heart and innovative spirit are making an impact on young readers, who are discovering worlds of wonder and enchantment in every book she offers.
Caden Morrow
Caden Morrow of Orinda, California, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding act of goodness he performed by raising funds for orphaned children of Haiti and donating those funds through the Center of Hope–Haiti. His innovative fundraising efforts—including a holiday bake sale—are making an impact on the lives of children by helping to provide them with shelter, education, nutrition, healthcare, and life skills.
Shay Patel
Shay Patel of Menlo Park, California, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding act of goodness he performed by running a free basketball camp for 60 sixth graders from East Palo Alto’s Ravenswood School District through his Alley-Oop Kids nonprofit. By successfully partnering with schools and other nonprofits, Shay is able to leverage experience and expand the services he offers to children in need, inspiring them through positive sports experiences.
Jaylen Sanchez
Jaylen Sanchez of Pittsburg, California, received the Children Have the Power to Empower® Award for the outstanding act of goodness she performed by setting up a free lemonade stand in her front yard and donating all the money she raised through voluntary contributions-which totaled $1,400-to children in need. She donated money toward uniforms and backpacks for a local shelter; school supplies and backpacks for needy students at her school; scholarships for students who are not able to pay for catechism at her local church; and the purchase of food for the homeless.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR AWARD RECIPIENTS!
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR AWARD RECIPIENTS!
Rishika Jeyaprakash
Mason, OH
2023
Aniruddh Marella
Frisco, TX
2023
Harita Suresh
Jersey City, NJ
2023
Kerry Koranteng
Chicago, IL
2022
Steven Hoffen
New York, NY
2022
Pranavi Reddi
Frisco, TX
2022
Seena Farhadi
Walnut Creek, CA
2021
Devika Manoj
Suwanee, GA
2021
Miran Bhima
Charlotte, NC
2021
Vanesha Hari
Redmond, WA
2021
Gavino Delgado
Sahuarita, AZ
2021
Nika Hirsch
Northfield, MN
2021
Riley Pryor
Edmond, OK
2021
Jahin Rahman
Queens Village, NY
2021
Renee Mendonca
Staten Island, NY
2021
Rhea Mendonca
Staten Island, NY
2021
Maya Blake
Montrose, CO
2020
Owen Jassak
Sauquoit, NY
2020
Devin Moore
Bay Shore, NY
2020
David Lauritzen
Katy, TX
2020
Alexandra Walker
Euclid, OH
2019
Jahkil Jackson
Chicago, IL
2019
Harry and Heath Bennett
Malden, MA
2019
Munachi Udenyi
Yorktown, VA
2019
Jenesis Shaw
Rochester, NY
2019
Shaan Patel
Austin, TX
2019
Genis Drake
Sherman Oaks, CA
2018
Gavin Swihart
Romulus, MI
2018
Jayden Perez
Woodland Park, NJ
2018
Nathanel Grinchpun
Dania Beach, FL
2018
Angelica Krubeck
Cumming, GA
2018
Curt Fendley
Paris, TX
2018
Xavier Stroud
Oakland, CA
2018
Ashley Sinn
Hayward, CA
2018
Paloma Rambana
Tallahassee, FL
2018
Gia Mitra
Castro Valley, CA
2018
Jordan Phillips
Athens, OH
2018
Jayna Burris
Kennewick, WA
2018
Eshan Kalra
Chandler, AZ
2017
Riya Kalra
Chandler, AZ
2017
Malaina Faith Ortega
Oakley, CA
2017
Caden Morrow
Orinda, CA
2017
Shay Patel
Menlo Park, CA
2017