Extraordinary 27 Recognized as Nestle Very Best in Youth

GLENDALE, Calif., March 27 /PRNewswire/ -- From nearly 1,000 nominations, Nestle USA is proud to announce the search for America's most extraordinary young people has culminated in the recognition of 27 Nestle Very Best In Youth. With significant achievements in both academics and community service, these remarkable youth have proven that kids, too, can make a difference in the world.

Honoring young people between the ages of 10 and 18, the Nestle Very Best In Youth award program pays tribute to those who are committed to academic excellence and devoted to leading a generation of positive change within their communities. With the belief that you are never too young to realize your dreams, these award winners have set the standard for excellence.

"What these 27 Nestle Very Best In Youth have achieved at such a young age is commendable and they deserve to be recognized," said Ken Bentley, vice president of community affairs/educational programs at Nestle USA. "These kids have, and are forever changing the lives of those surrounding them, as well as the lives of people they may never meet. Each of them embodies the characteristics of what it truly means to be a Nestle Very Best In Youth and I look forward to the successes they will have in the future."

With representation from 17 states across the nation, the 2007 Nestle Very Best In Youth winners truly characterize the very best in America. Nestle USA is honored to support America's youth by recognizing the following individuals:

Aaron Epstein, San Diego, CA -- age 13 -- Invented an adaptive ergonomic gripping device to help people with arthritis and cerebral palsy.

Anastasia Roda, Lancaster, PA -- age 17 -- Conducted award-winning research into protecting the environment, and wrote and illustrated a booklet about protecting the Barnegat Bay Estuary.

Andrea Ruiz, Miami, FL -- age 17 -- Started a project to establish a library in Calacali, Ecuador, which would serve its residents and only school with 800 students.

Andrew Cely, Plano, TX -- age 14 -- Award winning swimmer and musician, as well as honor student and volunteer with the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.

Anna DeSanctis, Houston, TX -- age 13 -- Created the Odyssey Project, a fundraising effort to build children's libraries in orphanages.

Annemarie Nauert, St. Louis, MO -- age 18 -- Established a music lesson program for foster children, and put together a team of volunteers to teach the children a musical instrument.

Benjamin Carpenter, Brandon, FL -- age 12 -- Traveled across the state to conduct Power Wheelchair Clinics for disabled children, and acts as a Patient Ambassador for the Tampa Shriner's Hospital.

Bria Brown, Miami, FL -- age 12 -- Cancer survivor, research advocate and founder of Bria's Bears, a foundation which offers emotional support to children fighting cancer.

Colin Carlson, Coventry, CT -- age 10 -- Launched a newspaper at his elementary school and collected books for patients at the Connecticut Children's Medical Center.

Danielle Gram, Carlsbad, CA -- age 17 -- Launched a non-profit group, Kids for Peace, to teach children about foreign cultures, tolerance, and the importance of community service.

Folake Dosu, Bellwood, IL -- age 17 -- Founder of The Birthday Party Project, which organizes monthly surprise parties for Chicago-area children dealing with physical and/or emotional trauma.

Geneva Johnson, Bronx, NY -- age 18 -- Created the first and only youth service organization in the northeast Bronx, called BRING IT ON!!, to encourage youth to make positive changes through community service, leadership development, and civic engagement.

Hannah Watkins, Kenai, AK -- age 17 -- Authored multiple children's books to help children cope with natural disasters, as well as educate them about natural disaster preparedness and the writing process.

Heather Wilder, Las Vegas, NV -- age 13 -- Authored 10 books dealing with issues she faced while living in foster care, such as "Why Do I Have to Move Again?" and "What Is A Social Worker?". And 1,500 copies of her latest book, "Court Talk," have been commissioned by Clark County Legal Services.

Jena Sims, Winder, GA -- age 18 -- Founder of the Prince and Princess of Hope Pageant to inspire children fighting cancer and other terminal illnesses.

Jenessa Largent, White Bear Lake, MN -- age 15 -- Created "In Harms Way" beaded bracelets, representing love and patriotism, to honor her uncle serving in Iraq. The bracelets have been sent to more than 225,000 military troops and their families.

Jeralyn Westercamp, Cedar Rapids, IA -- age 15 -- Co-founder of "Write Start," a program that provides new school supplies and books to Head Start students in Henry County.

Josephine Kao, Roseville, CA -- age 11 -- Launched Operation Toilet Paper Drive (TPD), a community-wide effort to provide 1,000 toilet paper rolls to homeless shelters.

Konstantine Buhler, Lake Forest, IL -- age 14 -- Founder and president of Always Ready Kids (ARK), which prepares youth for the unexpected, such as natural disasters.

Kyle Monette, Mililani, HI -- age 17 -- Launched "Kids Helping Kids With Diabetes," to inspire more students to participate in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Walkathon.

Michelle Moffa, Linwood, NJ -- age 11 -- Organized a school-wide collection drive of supplies and holiday gifts for the Navajo Indian Reservation in Tohatchi, New Mexico. Along with her mother, she also started a PB&J after school club, where members prepare 350 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to feed the homeless at a local food kitchen.

Niharika Jain, Shreveport, LA -- age 16 -- Organized a cleaning supplies collection drive for a local YWCA Family Violence Shelter. She also formed the YWCA Youth Board to raise awareness about domestic violence, and create volunteer and project opportunities, including a book drive that generated over 1,000 books for the shelter.

Parteek Singla, Greenville, NC -- age 17 -- Organized a book drive for children of HIV parents in Africa, and helped curb underage drinking as part of the Greenville Youth Council. He has twice been named Greenville's Young Citizen of the Year.

Rebecca Espinoza, Miami, FL -- age 17 -- Started L.I.F.E. (Living and Illustrating For Each other) as part of a Communication Action Service project. An avid volunteer, she also spends her time at the Dorothy M. Wallace COPE Center South tutoring and mentoring young girls who are pregnant or have had a baby.

Shannon Kenney, Glendale, CA -- age 12 -- Seeks to improve literacy worldwide and is the only youth member of the Los Angeles Chapter of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Tara Suri, Scarsdale, NY -- age 16 -- Launched H.O.P.E. (Helping Orphans Pursue Education) to provide orphans in India, Sudan, and Uganda with better education and living conditions. She also started Write-Share-Learn-Care, a pen pal initiative that connects orphans with American youth.

Tyrone Cody Floyd, Jacksonville, FL -- age 16 -- Co-founded a community service group, Gamma Rho Omega B.R.A.T.S. (Brilliant, Responsible, Alert, Talented Scholars), which provides volunteers for homeless shelters, summer camps for inner city kids, and more.

Joining the ranks of more than 150 past award recipients, the 27 honorees will each receive an all-expense paid, five-day trip to Los Angeles for an awards ceremony in July 2007, and $1,000 to donate to a charity of their choice. The winners will also be featured in the 2007 Nestle Very Best In Youth book, which will be available in the summer of 2007 with complimentary copies being distributed to schools and libraries nationwide. For more information on how to obtain copies of the 2007 Nestle Very Best In Youth book, write Nestle USA, Community Affairs, 800 North Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91203 or go to http://www.nestle-verybestinyouth.com/ .

Promoted through a nationwide network of teachers, parents and community volunteers, the Nestle Very Best In Youth program was initiated in 1997 to support and recognize outstanding leadership among today's youth. To date, five Nestle Very Best In Youth books have been published with winners' stories and more than $600,000 has been donated to support winners' charities.

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Named one of "America's Most Admired Food Companies" in Fortune magazine for the tenth consecutive year, Nestle USA provides quality brands and products that bring flavor to life every day. From nutritious meals with Lean Cuisine(R) to baking traditions with Nestle(R) Toll House(R), Nestle USA makes delicious, convenient, and nutritious food and beverage products that enrich the very experience of life itself. That's what "Nestle. Good Food, Good Life" is all about. Nestle USA, with 2006 sales of $8.5 billion (includes Nestle Nutrition), is part of Nestle S.A. in Vevey, Switzerland -- the world's largest food company -- with sales of $79 billion. For product news and information, visit Nestleusa.com or NestleNewsroom.com .

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