NICKELODEON AND TIME ANNOUNCE
TOP 20 FINALISTS FOR FIRST-EVER
KID OF THE YEAR HONOR
Kid of the Year TV Special, Hosted by Trevor Noah and Produced by TIME Studios,
to Simulcast on Nick and CBS on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT)
Special to Feature Appearances by Kristen Bell, Simone Biles, Brie Larson, Zachary Levi, Russell Westbrook and More
Share it: @Nickelodeon #KidoftheYear
HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--Nov. 2, 2020--Nickelodeon, TIME and TIME for Kids today announced the top 20 finalists for the first-ever
Kid of the Year honor, a multiplatform initiative recognizing extraordinary young leaders who are making a positive impact in their communities. The top five honorees from the list will be featured in a TV special hosted by Trevor Noah (
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah), with one kid ultimately being recognized as Kid of the Year and featured on a cover of TIME with a companion story in TIME for Kids. The special will simulcast across Nickelodeon, CBS Television Network, TeenNick and Nicktoons on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 8 p.m. (ET/PT).
The Kid of the Year TV special will introduce the top five honorees ahead of the ultimate Kid of the Year being named, and feature guests stars from entertainment, sports and pop culture to help surprise them and celebrate their work. Celebrity guests scheduled to make appearances throughout the special include Kristen Bell, Simone Biles, Brie Larson, Zachary Levi and Russell Westbrook, among others.
The top 20 Kid of the Year finalists were selected following a nationwide search that received over 5,000 inspirational kids being nominated. The top 50 were presented to an Advisory Board made up of representatives from Nickelodeon, TIME, Special Olympics, Rosie’s Theater Kids and Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA to help narrow down the top 20 finalists. Of the 20, the five honorees were selected with the help of an influential kid committee comprised of Dylan Gilmer (
Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan), Chinguun Sergelen (
All That), Little Chef Ivy (
MasterChef Junior), Sky Katz (
Raven's Home), and TIME for Kids Kid Reporters Raunak Singh and Tiana Sirmans, and will be revealed during the special.
Meet the Kid of the Year Top 20 finalists:
- Rebekah Bruesehoff (13; Camden County, N.J.), a transgender activist working to strengthen support systems for transgender and LGBTQ+ youth and show the world that LGBTQ+ kids are just like all other kids and deserve the same love, protections and representation.
- Keedron Bryant (13; Jacksonville, Fla.), a musician and activist using his passion for music to help inspire social change, with the song “I Just Wanna Live” becoming an anthem for the Black Lives Matter movement.
- Dylan Capshaw (14; Scottsdale, Ariz.), a wildlife activist and COVID-19 frontline worker advocate, helping animals in need through his nonprofit, Dylan Capshaw Wildlife Foundation, and printing 3D face-shields to help protect the frontline workers battling the coronavirus pandemic, which he ships through his nonprofit, For the Frontline.
- Jack Dalton (10; Nashua, N.H.), a kid conservationist helping to educate other kids on how important it is for them to be involved in preserving the environment and the world through his fundraising campaigns and videos on YouTube. He also uses his status as a Youth Ambassador for the international nonprofit Orangutan Alliance to sell 100% recycled Kid Conservationist bags in support of orangutan rehabilitation, with all proceeds being donated to the organization.
- Chloe Mei Espinosa (14; Newport Beach, Calif.), an environmental advocate working to protect the oceans through the reduction of single-use plastic straws worldwide, including providing education through her website, SkipthePlasticStraw.com.
- Tyler Gordon (14; San Jose, Calif.), an artist using his love of painting to advocate for anti-bullying and social justice issues, as well as helping other kids with speech impediments through his foundation, Tongue Tyed.
- Ryan Hickman (11; San Juan Capistrano, Calif.), an environmental advocate working to spread awareness of recycling and its ability to help save the planet through his company, Ryan’s Recycling, and his nonprofit, Project3R. He recycles over 30,000 cans and bottles each month, with over 1.1 million recycled to-date.
- Hannah Jackson (16; Washington, D.C.), a criminal justice reform advocate fighting for the rights of those in the prison system and those directly affected by it, including having successfully lobbied Congress and the White House for the bi-partisan “First Step Act.”
- Elijah Lee (12; Richmond, Va.), a child abuse and social justice activist devoted to combating child abuse and helping those currently facing it, including organizing his own annual anti-child abuse march and serving as a speaker on the issue at conferences.
- Ian McKenna (16; Austin, Texas), an activist committed to providing hunger relief to kids and their families through harvesting fresh produce for them and educating others on its importance.
- Samaira Mehta (12; Santa Clara, Calif.), a tech entrepreneur with a passion for teaching and spreading the love of coding through her initiative “Yes, 1 Billion Kids Can Code” and her coding ecosystem company, CoderBunnyz.
- Anna Miller (13; Baltimore), an accessibility activist encouraging kids to code while using her rare genetic disorder, Osteogenesis Imperfecta, to help spread her message of positivity, inclusivity and equity for all.
- Caleb Oh (15; Gambrills, Md.), a philanthropist helping the food insecure, homeless and foster children in his community and inspiring young people to serve others through his nonprofit, Kid Changemakers.
- Gitanjali Rao (14; Lone Tree, Colo.), an inventor and scientist who centers her work around empathy to advocate for a people-centered approach to invention and problem-solving and provide innovation sessions to students around the globe to inspire them to create their own creative solutions to world problems.
- Jordan Reeves (14; Columbia, Mo.), an advocate for those with physical disabilities working to challenge perceptions through designing new solutions and providing education through digital workshops with her nonprofit, Born Just Right.
- Sophia Scott (17; Los Angeles), an education activist working to reduce the socioeconomic disparities in education during the COVID-19 pandemic by offering high-quality academic support for free through her nonprofit, QuaranTEENS Tutoring.
- Za’Nia Stinson (14; Charlotte, N.C.), a philanthropist passionate about helping homeless women and children through providing food and toiletry items to local shelters with her nonprofit, Z Feeds Angel Food Project.
- Ronak Suchindra (13; Chester Springs, Pa.), an activist dedicated to helping spread the love of learning by motivating youth to help teach kids all around the world through his non-profit organization, Kids Connect.
- Khloe Thompson (13; Irvine, Calif.), a philanthropist working to inspire other kids to create change and provide essential items to the Los Angeles homeless community through her nonprofit, Khloe Kares, as well as traveling to Ghana to help build wells for villages in need.
- Bellen Woodard (9; Loudoun County, Va.), the world’s first crayon activist highlighting the issues of empathy, leadership and diversity through the eyes and experiences of a child. Her campaign, The More than Peach Project, donates its own skin-tone and multicultural crayons and sketchbooks to students and senior citizens.
Each of the five Kid of the Year honorees will receive a cash prize and have the opportunity to serve as a Kid Reporter for TIME for Kids with exclusive access to a Nickelodeon event. For additional information about the initiative, visit
KidoftheYear2020.com.
Nickelodeon’s Kid of the Year is sponsored by ©2020 The LEGO Group and Lysol®.
Nickelodeon’s Kid of the Year TV special is a co-production of TIME Studios, Day Zero Productions, Mainstay Entertainment and Nickelodeon, with Rebecca Gitlitz and Jeff Smith serving as Showrunners. Executive Producers include Andrea Delbanco (TIME for Kids), Ian Orefice and Mike Beck (TIME Studios), Trevor Noah and Haroon Saleem (Day Zero Productions), Norm Aladjem, Derek Van Pelt and Sanaz Yamin (Mainstay Entertainment) and Rob Bagshaw, Stacey Carr and Paul J Medford (Nickelodeon). Production of Nickelodeon’s Kid of the Year is overseen by Rob Bagshaw, Executive Vice President, Unscripted Content.
About TIME
TIME is a global media brand that reaches a combined audience of more than 100 million around the world, including over 40 million digital visitors each month and 45 million social followers. A trusted destination for reporting and insight, TIME’s mission is to tell the stories that matter most, to lead conversations that change the world and to deepen understanding of the ideas and events that define our time. With unparalleled access to the world’s most influential people, the immeasurable trust of consumers globally, an unrivaled power to convene, TIME is one of the world’s most recognizable media brands with renowned franchises that include the TIME 100 Most Influential People, Person of the Year, Firsts, Best Inventions, World’s Greatest Places and premium events including the TIME 100 Summit and Gala, TIME 100 Health Summit, TIME 100 Next and more.
About TIME for Kids
Since 1995, TIME for Kids has delivered age-appropriate news and current-events content to millions of students in elementary and middle school classrooms across the U.S, and, now, for the first time, to homes, to keep kids learning, help them understand the news, and connect them to the world. Each week, TIME for Kids presents news in a format that teaches young readers to become critical thinkers and informed citizens. As an educational publication, the mission of TIME for Kids is to help teachers and parents engage kids with the world around them and inspire them to join the conversation about current events.
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 41st year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit
http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).
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'The Incredible Elijah;' 12-year-old Chesterfield boy in the running for Nickelodeon's 'Kid of the Year'
Elijah Lee was only in first grade when the world as he knew it became a much darker place. He was all of 6 years old the day he noticed the bruises on the leg of a classmate. When he innocently asked what happened, if she’d fallen down or somehow hurt herself, the young girl confided in him that her parents, in the midst of a fight, had hit her.
He didn’t quite understand the magnitude of the situation, but it scared him. He did the only thing he knew to do: He told his mom, and he told a teacher.
Elijah’s life changed in that moment.
Now 12 years old, Elijah is planning his fourth march against child abuse, a small but mighty voice for the many children — like his classmate — who can’t speak up for themselves.
For his efforts, Elijah is among 20 children in the running for the first “Kid of the Year” honor, a collaboration among Nickelodeon, Time magazine and Time for Kids. The distinction honors young movers and shakers nationwide who aren’t letting their age stop them from making differences in their communities. More than 5,000 children were nominated.
It’s not the first accolade for Elijah.
In 2018, after his first organized march against child abuse, he was recognized by the Marvel Hero Project for his efforts, including being featured in a Marvel comic as “The Incredible Elijah.”
The Nickelodeon-Time award, which the family just learned about this summer, will be announced during a special Nickelodeon broadcast Dec. 5.
That happens to be Elijah’s 13th birthday, which makes it all the more exciting for a kid on the cusp of teenhood, a kid who has braces and a dog named Max, a kid who loves playing chess and a kid who, most of the time, revels in the sibling rivalry with his older brothers and his younger sister.
Yet, for all the things an adolescent could be doing, Elijah feels the weight of the world on his young shoulders. The feelings he had back then, that one day in first grade, remain with him. Led by his faith and supported by his family, this young soul is tackling a heavy issue, and he’s inviting the world to join him, one child at a time.
***
According to the National Children’s Alliance, roughly 700,000 children are abused each year. Some get the help they need. Many do not. The reality is staggering and horrific.
It’s a harsh subject, even for adults to comprehend. But Elijah’s strength of his convictions belies his young age.
Jessica Lee moved her family to Chesterfield County for her work in July from Roanoke Rapids, a rural town in northeastern North Carolina near the Virginia border. It has a population of roughly 15,000 people, many of whom are low-income individuals and families. Her husband — Elijah’s dad — died when Elijah was 3.
On a recent school night, Elijah talked about his experiences and his new community, which is much different from his old one in lots of ways. He attends Swift Creek Middle School now, though he’s never actually been there, and even though Chesterfield school students can elect to go back to school, he chose to remain virtual. His new community is a lot bigger than his old one, he said — but it’s also ripe for new opportunities to spread his message.
On this night, Elijah was wearing a T-shirt with a phrase he adopted on the back: “When one rises, we all rise; but when one falls, we all fall.”
In first grade, “I knew nothing of child abuse,” Elijah said. “I was very blessed to have a home with a mother that loves me, with siblings that have my back, with people around me that I knew I could lean on and trust — but unfortunately, the same thing isn’t with every kid.”
“When I first heard that my friend had been abused, I didn’t know what to do,” he said, and it led to discussions with his mom about child abuse.
“There are some kids that go home afraid; there are some kids that go home hungry; there are some kids that go home knowing that ... they’re gonna probably get hit,” he said. “It definitely left my heart with something to think about.”
As her son spoke, Lee sat back and listened. She chimed in occasionally, reminding him about this or that. But for nearly six years, she’s watched her son walk in his purpose, gaining the strength on his own to tackle a seemingly insurmountable problem. She guides, but she’s not his mouthpiece.
Elijah can hold his own, in large part, because of his natural calling to preach the gospel.
By 10, Elijah was an ordained minister and was preaching in their former church every fifth Sunday until this past March, when the pandemic halted services. At their former church, when youth members would be given time to sing before the congregation or read Scripture, “he would go up there, [and] you would just get this full sermon, and we didn’t even know where this was coming from,” Lee said.
“Yeah, it’s weird,” she acknowledged. While theirs is a family of faith, “that was not something I was expecting at all.”
But the more he did it, “he got bolder with it, and you could just see it manifest,” she said. At the same time, he was becoming more aware of child abuse.
Lee recalled the day Elijah came home and told her about his classmate. She talked to him about child abuse. No parent wants to introduce such atrocities into their child’s life, but she wanted him to hear it from her and to understand it in the context of their family’s values.
“To be frank, I thought it was going to be a general conversation and we’d be done with it and we’d be able to move on,” she said. But Elijah didn’t let it go, and “what really changed [was] I saw his heart hurting.”
“You want your children to stay as innocent as possible, for as long as possible,” Lee said. “But I would rather him understand it from our perspective as a family.”
Elijah began to think of ways to help, and in the year or two that followed, as he was learning about people such as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and civil rights activist John Lewis, he put the pieces together himself.
King and Lewis were “people who fought for what they believed in by marching and using their voice,” Elijah said, so he decided to organize a march against child abuse. “When I presented the idea to my mom, ... she thought I was crazy.”
As a second- or third-grader, however, “that was my life,” Elijah said. “I was huge on presenting these big massive ideas, ... but this was something I really felt I needed to do.”
Elijah’s first march, which took place in a park near his old home, drew about 200 people. The second one drew a few more, somewhere around 250. Last year’s march, held just before the pandemic shuttered everything, drew nearly 450 people, some from up and down the East Coast. In addition to the gatherings, Elijah organizes speakers, including himself.
He’s had to learn how to get a permit for an event, how to talk to local government officials and how to work with local law enforcement to make sure people remain safe during the events — and how to give media interviews.
Chuck Hasty is the former Roanoke Rapids police chief. By phone from North Carolina earlier this month, Hasty said Elijah was a big force within their small community.
“We need more young people like this, trying to make an impact,” he said, noting that he met Elijah when the young man was organizing his first march, and needed help with permitting and park access. Hasty said not only was Elijah passionate about the subject and raising awareness, but also about doing it the right way, from a citizen’s standpoint.
“He wanted to know how he could make a positive change, and the right way to make a change,” Hasty said. “He was such a good influence, and the message was hitting home with a lot of people.”
Hasty said he learned just as much from Elijah as the other way around.
“I took ahold of him and his family,” Hasty said, “and he took ahold of me.”
***
Elijah is currently planning his fourth march, for March 6, 2021. It’s always the first Saturday, though this one will be virtual. It’s from 1 to 2 p.m., and links will be sent out via social media. Speakers so far include Gov. Ralph Northam and Jon Hatami, the California prosecutor for the Gabriel Fernandez case in which the 8-year-old boy died in May 2013 after being tortured and abused by his mother and her boyfriend.
The theme for 2021 is “Justice 4 Children.”
“I feel like child abuse is one of those things that no one wants to think about,” Elijah said. “We all understand it occurs; we all understand it happens — we all know there’s a possibility our neighbors are abusing their children.”
He added: “We see children as these innocent, vulnerable beings, and when child abuse comes into play, that innocence and vulnerability is not only being violated, it’s being taken away.”
Part of learning about child abuse was also learning what happens on the other side — foster care, child protective services, laws. Elijah even visited a hospital in his former hometown to see where children go when they’ve been abuse victims. He said the dark, cold walls of a hospital room aren’t the sort of place a child can feel comfortable.
“I was just trying to think what’s going through this child’s mind,” he said, “putting myself in their shoes, where I’ve just seen my parent being taken away in handcuffs, [and] I definitely have scars on me.”
Then entering that sort of hospital environment, “that’s not helping them,” Elijah said.
It led him to start a GoFundMe initiative to raise money to transform a hospital room into a kid-friendly environment. He raised $3,000 — then was bolstered by being a guest on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” and given an additional $1,000 there. The hospital, Vidant North Hospital in Roanoke Rapids, offered to match his funding, and also provide two rooms for children instead of one.
Both of the rooms will be in the hospital’s emergency department. They’ll feature fresh paint, in either neutral or colorful tones, and one room will have games, a computer and more. The other will have wobble chairs, toys, a big-screen television and other features. They hope to be done with the rooms by next spring.
“We are inspired by Elijah’s passion and are honored to work closely with him and his family on this important issue … to raise awareness for, and ultimately end, child abuse,” said Vidant North Hospital President Jason Harrell by email. “The pediatric safe rooms will provide a safe, comforting place for those that use them.”
The marches, the speaking events, the hospital initiative — though he’s making a difference already, Elijah said his work is just beginning.
Elijah wants to be a prosecutor. He wants to be a congressman. He has a way of drawing people in with his determination.
The way he talks, his cadence with words — sometimes breathlessly, sometimes soft and quiet — show that he’s got the gift of gab, even now. He refers to other children as “our young people,” as if he’s not a young person himself.
But Elijah doesn’t just want people to listen to him — he wants to inspire other young people to do what he’s doing.
Kids like him.
“I came from the same place as you, the same economic status,” he said he used to tell people during the marches in his former hometown. “I was able to do this, so what stands in your way?”
He continued: “We can march all we want; we can talk all we want. [But] what really matters is us as young people getting involved in these politics so we can really change the laws to better the safety of our young people.”
“Your best friend could be going home right now afraid that their stepdad or their dad or their mom ... is going to hit them,” Elijah said. But “once children understand that, they’re gonna know that’s not right and they understand they can do something about it.”
“That’s really where our change starts to happen.”
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Exceptional 14-Year-Old Humanitarian and Environmental Activist, Dylan Capshaw, Nominated for Nickelodeon and TIME® Magazine's 'Kid of the Year' 2020 - One of 20 Final Contestants in Multi-Platform Event
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| Dylan's plaque in TIME Magazine recognizing him as a Kid of The Year finalist. |
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Nov. 16, 2020 --
Dylan Capshaw officially announced that he had been selected as one of the final 20 nominees for the first ever
Kid of the Year 2020 sponsored by Nickelodeon and TIME® magazine. Already a local celebrity and beloved community worker, Dylan first began his activism rescuing at-risk pets and wildlife as a very young boy. He has since established multiple service organizations, including the Dylan Capshaw Wildlife Foundation (DCWF) and sanctuary, along with two pandemic-response organizations: For The Frontline and The Sanitation Stations. The TIME® and Nickelodeon Kid of the Year 2020 recognizes extraordinary young leaders who make positive impacts on their local communities and have bright futures as societal influencers. As the contest narrows, the top-five honorees will be featured on an hour long special hosted by Trevor Noah with the ultimate winner to be pictured on an upcoming issue cover of TIME® magazine. The winner will be announced via a televised, star-studded, multi-platform event set to air Saturday, December 5 at 8 p.m. EST on Nickelodeon, CBS, TeenNick and Nicktoons.
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| Dylan with his rescued kangaroo. |
"Whether it's an animal or a person, I want to help whoever I can," said Dylan Capshaw. "I just hope people stop thinking that you have to be an adult to do something."
About For The Frontline and The Sanitation Stations
Working in partnership with a local shipping company, Dylan established For The Frontline to create 3D-printed reusable filtered masks and face shields to help healthcare workers fight the pandemic, amidst an ongoing PPE equipment shortage. With open-sourced 3D-printing files, For The Frontline fulfills orders for face masks/shields and delivers them via care packages, while also encouraging others to help, using the downloadable 3D-printer PPE files. For The Frontline fosters community involvement and bolsters support for at-risk healthcare personnel across the nation. To contribute to the effort, or to download 3D print files, please visit:
www.ForTheFrontline.org.
The Sanitation Stations freely places PPE vending machines in businesses to help broaden access to important pandemic gear like wipes, gloves, surgical and reusable masks. The Sanitation Stations gives consumers an inexpensive way to stock up on PPE gear on-the-go, while also encouraging businesses to help supply PPE to local communities by keeping a portion of the monthly vending machine profits. Learn more at:
www.TheSanitationStations.org.
About The Dylan Capshaw Wildlife Foundation (DCWF)
Established in 2017, DCWF is a non-profit business and sanctuary that has rescued hundreds of animals in crisis, along with assisting other wildlife in need across the globe through fundraising efforts. DCWF offers a variety of ways to help, including fundraisers and limited events like Sponsor an Emu, the Australian Fires Fundraiser, local supply runs for animal shelters, VIP sponsoring, and wildlife education. DCWF is rapidly becoming a popular household name, having been featured in multiple stories by local news. To learn more about the organization and its work, please visit: www.DylanCapshawWildlifeFoundation.com.
Media Contact:
Dylan Capshaw PR
258299@email4pr.com
(480) 848-8095
Related Links
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Chesterfield boy among top 20 finalists for Nickelodeon’s ‘Kid of the Year’
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — 12-year-old, Elijah Lee of Chesterfield is among the top 20 finalists of Nickelodeon’s “Kid of the Year” award.
Elijah, a 7th grader at Swift Creek Middle School, is being recognized for his work to fight against child abuse. It’s something that Elijah takes personally after an old classmate confided in him that she had been hit by her father.
“It shocked me. It pushed me back a little bit,” he said. “I didn’t understand how someone could do that.”
At just six years old, Elijah did all he knew to do: he told a teacher and his mother. A few years later, though, and after months of planning, Elijah organized his first march against child abuse. He said he wanted to use his voice for other kids who may be struggling like his former classmate.
“I saw a problem and I wanted to be the solution,” he explained.
More than 200 people attended Elijah’s first march in North Carolina back in 2017. The next year, the number grew to 250. By his third march, more than 400 people showed up. Elijah is now in the midst of planning his fourth.
He told 8news, his desire to march came from people like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and late congressman John Lewis.
“Because of their voices, we have change. Just because these people marched for a couple of years, we have laws passed,” he said.
For his work, Elijah is now in the top 20 running for Nickelodeon and Time Magazine’s “Kid of the Year” award. More than 5,000 kids applied, and it honors kids across the country who have made a positive impact in their communities.
The award will be announced during a Nickelodeon broadcast on Dec. 5.
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‘This is my purpose': 12-year-old from Chesterfield named as finalist for ‘Kid of the Year’ award
CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WWBT) - A Chesterfield 7th grader is getting national attention for standing up for other children. Elijah Lee has been named a finalist for Nickelodeon and Time Magazine’s “Kid of the Year” award.
“We cannot give up on our survivors, we can’t give up on these people who went through these things,” said Lee. "There was still work to be done, and I had to do it, so I did.”
For several years, the Roanoke Rapids native has been on a crusade to end child abuse after a friend in first grade revealed they were being abused at home.
“We got that person help, and I came home and I talked to my mom about what child abuse was,” he said.
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| Elijah Lee's 4th Annual Child Abuse Awareness March will take place virtually in 2021 (Source: Elijah Lee) |
Elijah has continued to be an advocate for other children, and at 10 years old he held his first march to end child abuse in his hometown
“There were over 200 people in attendance, that was monumental to me, that meant something to me,” he said. “I also knew from there, this is my purpose. If I could get them to listen, even if it was for an hour, to hear our young people’s voices, I was making a difference.”
Elijah has since planned more marches, his fourth march will take place virtually on March 6, 2021.
“To any person that is a survivor of abuse or going to abuse right now, know this is not your fault. You are beautiful, you are strong and you are wonderfully made, no matter what anyone does to you or says to you - you are powerful, you are strong and you will overcome this,” said Elijah.
Elijah and his family recently moved to Chesterfield in July 2020, this is his first year at Swift Creek Middle, but over the last two years, his efforts have gained him national attention. He was recognized as part of the Marvel Hero Project, and his inspiration, the late civil rights icon John Lewis wrote Elijah a letter.
“John Lewis was 23 when he gave his speech on the March on Washington, and it made me realize our young people are not just these subtle people in history, our young people have made some amazing moves to make change," he explained.
Elijah plans to continue to use his voice to make a change while helping other young people harness the power of their voices as well.
For the holidays this year, Elijah is teaming up with SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now) to provide families with Christmas.
“I have a saying ‘when one rises, we all rise; but when one falls, we all fall,’" said Elijah.
On Dec. 5, Elijah’s 13th birthday, he will learn if he won “Kid of the Year.”
“I hope it serves as a reminder to so many kids back home and so many kids around America - no matter where you come from, what your life looks like, what limitations have been put on you, you are capable of achieving your dreams, no matter what happens," he said.
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12-year-old activist, minister Elijah Lee is finalist for Kid of the Year
At the tender age of 12, Elijah Lee has grown an extensive résumé as a spiritual leader, nationally known child advocate and speaker. Add to that finalist for the first-ever Kid of the Year Award.
On Nov. 2, Nickelodeon and TIME magazine announced their inaugural Kid of the Year honor. Twenty finalists were selected following a nationwide search in which more than 5,000 inspirational youngsters were nominated.
Elijah, a seventh-grader at Swift Creek Middle School in Chesterfield, is among the 20 finalists recognized as extraordinary young leaders who are making a positive impact in their communities.
The top five honorees will be featured on a TV special hosted by Trevor Noah 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5. The show will be simulcast on Nickelodeon, CBS, TeenNick and Nicktoons, and will feature celebrity guests, including Olympic gymnast Simone Biles.
The youngster ultimately recognized as Kid of the Year will be featured on a cover of TIME Magazine with a companion story in TIME for Kids.
“It is so hard to put into words what an honor this really is,” Elijah said in a Free Press interview this week. “I was bouncing off the walls and was so excited to receive such a national honor, as well as to be considered and looked at like this. The honor gives power to my work.”
The pre-teen social justice activist and ordained minister is devoted to combating child abuse and helping those currently dealing with it. He has organized his own annual child abuse awareness march and served as a speaker on the issue at conferences.
Born in the small town of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., Elijah calls himself a “bi-racial male.”
“My mother is white and my father, Marine Sgt. Marvin Lee, who passed away when I was 3-years-old, was African- American,” he said.
His mother, Jessica Lee, moved him and his 11-year-old sister, Trinity, to Virginia on July 1.
He said he has taken this activist path because, at a very early age, he learned how children sometimes are looked at – objectified or as a fixture in a family’s house—or are mentally or sexually abused.
He said he learned when he was in the first grade that one of his female classmates was being hit by a family member. After having an uncomfortable conversation with his mother about child abuse, Elijah assisted his classmate in getting help.
However, that incident placed a lingering burden on his heart, he said, knowing he was blessed with a loving mother, sister, church and friends protecting him. These blessings ultimately led to him organizing his first annual child abuse awareness march at age 10, in Roanoke Rapids. The march was attended by more than 200 people.
Two more marches followed in consecutive years, with the last march attracting more than 450 residents.
His fourth march will be held on Zoom because of the pandemic. It is scheduled for 1 to 2 p.m. March 6, in Chesterfield. Gov. Ralph S. Northam will be a virtual speaker, he said.
In honor of Elijah’s work, the county of Halifax, N.C., and the city of Roanoke Rapids have named the first Saturday in March Child Abuse Awareness Day.
His community involvement, inspired by his growing knowledge of Angela Davis, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the late Congressman John Lewis of Georgia, continued in Roanoke Rapids, with Elijah
raising money to develop two pediatric safe rooms at a local hospital there. Rooms will be converted into a safe, welcoming space for children who have experienced trauma and abuse.
In his spiritual life, Elijah was ordained as a minister at age 10 by Bishop Nathaniel Dupree at the Church Of The Holy City in Emporia.
He believes his spiritual work is necessary.
“My job on this Earth is to continue to fight for our young people — empower and encourage them, to have their voices heard and stand up for what is right,” he strongly said.
Looking toward the future, Elijah said he is interested in politics. “I want to be a congressman and address racism, systemic racism within our court and legislative systems and public education, especially for low-income children.”
Being recognized as a finalist for Kid of the Year is just the latest honor for the young man. His years of activism led him to be honored with the designation of Marvel Hero on the Marvel Hero Project streaming on Disney Plus, episode 2, “Incredible Elijah.”
He also was featured in PEOPLE Magazine for his work with the Marvel Hero Project, and is featured in “Kids Speak Out About Violence,” a book published by Rourke Educational Media.
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Newport Beach teen nominated for TIME’s Kid of the Year for ‘Skip the Plastic Straw’ campaign
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| Chloe Mei Espinosa, with straws, is among the Top 20 nominees for Nickelodeon and TIME’s Kid of the Year. She was nominated for her efforts with her campaign, “Skip the Plastic Straw.” Sister Ella Lin, who helps her with the campaign and videos, stands with an awareness poster, and her mom, Alison Yap, and dad, David, join them at Corona del Mar State Beach. (Don Leach) |
It started at Newport Coast Elementary School.
Chloe Mei Espinosa, asked to identify a passion project she could research and act on in the sixth grade, had recently seen a video of a sea turtle with a plastic straw lodged in its nostril. For her project, she decided she’d try to eliminate plastic straws and launched “Skip the Plastic Straw,” with a website called
skiptheplasticstraw.com.
Not long after, she was an incoming seventh-grader to Corona del Mar Middle School when she campaigned the Newport-Mesa Unified School District to stop offering plastic straws with student lunches and convinced Dale Ellis, then the district’s director of nutrition services, to remove plastic straws from all 32 school cafeterias in addition to making paper straws available.
“When I heard the good news, I felt like the ocean was giving me a huge hug, saying, ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you for helping me,’” Chloe Mei said about her efforts in 2018.
It is now two years later, and Chloe Mei, 14, said she has convinced the Saddleback Valley Unified and
Capistrano Valley Unified school districts to make the switch and skip plastic straws too. She’s also managed to get a hospital in Irvine and another in her hometown of Newport Beach to phase them out.
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| Chloe Mei Espinosa, 14, presented before the Newport-Mesa Unified School District After-School Educators Group in 2018 to call for campuses to skip the plastic straw. (Courtesy of Alison Yap) |
In acknowledgment of her efforts, she’s been nominated for the first ever Nickelodeon and TIME magazine Kid of the Year award.
The prize, for which Chloe Mei is a top-20 finalist, looks to recognize young leaders who are making a positive impact in their communities. The top five honorees will be featured in a television special hosted by Trevor Noah of “The Daily Show,” with one nominee to be recognized as Kid of the Year and be featured on a cover of TIME with a story in TIME for Kids.
The special will air on Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and Pacific Standard Time on Nickelodeon, TeenNick and Nicktoons. Each of the five kids will have the chance to receive a cash prize and be a kid reporter for TIME for Kids with exclusive access to a Nickelodeon event.
The Mater Dei High School freshman said Monday she’d first gotten word of her nomination in September but wasn’t sure she’d get farther than that. When she found out she got into the top 50, she was even more surprised.
“I feel so honored to be recognized for my work, and it’s a great opportunity for me to spread my message,” Chloe Mei said. “It’s so cool for other people to see what I’m doing and what all the other kids ... [are] doing as well.”
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| Chloe Mei Espinosa, 14, presents to children at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach about her campaign to end single-use plastic straws. (Courtesy of Alison Yap) |
Her mother, Alison Yap, said she was proud of her eldest daughter, adding that the whole family was in tears when they found out she’d made it to the top 20 nominees.
“She’s being recognized for what she’s doing,” Yap said. "[Chloe Mei’s] a very positive girl. She’s always so happy. During COVID, it was really hard. It hit her quite badly with a lot of events she wasn’t able to attend, including promoting from eighth grade to high school, but she still kept a positive attitude.”
“With this recognition, it really lifted her spirits,” she added. “It motivates her to keep wanting to go on.”
The pandemic has made it difficult for Chloe Mei to work on her “Skip the Plastic Straw” campaign but not impossible. She’s participated in remote campaigns such as the Ocean Heroes Virtual Boot Camp and launched a YouTube channel with her younger sister, Ella Lin, called “
Sustainable Sisters,” where they review ecofriendly products.
Though she doesn’t know if she’s made it to the final five, Chloe Mei said she plans on approaching her high school in the near future with a proposal to eliminate single-use plastic bottles and to reach out to the Newport Beach City Council to see if the city can also skip plastic straws and offer paper straws instead.
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| Chloe Mei Espinosa, left, runs a YouTube channel with her younger sister, Ella Lin, right, called “Sustainable Sisters.” (Courtesy of Alison Yap) |
The topic has come up before city officials in the past. Newport previously banned Styrofoam in 2008 but made some exceptions for ice chests, egg cartons and prepared food packaged outside of town. Proposed foodware changes came up at a meeting for the city’s Water Quality and Coastal Tidelands Committee in December.
Chloe Mei said plastic straws are still offered on request, but she wants to ask if the city could switch to paper straws on request instead to “eliminate the source completely.”
“I want to keep up doing videos and show you can live a sustainable life and it doesn’t have to be hard,” Chloe Mei said. “You don’t have to do completely no waste right away. It can be one small step, like changing that single-use water bottle to a reusable water bottle.”
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More Nick:Nickelodeon Launches 'Slime In Space: A Virtual Field Trip'!Originally published: Monday, November 2, 2020 at 17:46 GMT.
