KidsMatter names 2024 Youth Service Award recipients

KidsMatter recently celebrated the 2024 Youth
Service Award recipients who have gone above and beyond in using their time and talents to serve the community.

This year’s ceremony on Monday, Nov. 18 recognized 23 students for their exemplary volunteer contributions to several local nonprofits.

“It’s so encouraging to see youth giving back to causes that matter to them, supporting our local nonprofits and learning what it means to serve,” said Nina Menis, CEO and executive director of KidsMatter. “This commitment to helping others can grow with them into adulthood and further benefit our community.”

Mayor Scott Wehrli and the Naperville City Council joined KidsMatter in awarding these deserving students, who were nominated for supporting the following organizations:

• Kendall Albertini: Good Shepherd Church Fusion Disability Ministry

• Soha Ali: NAMI DuPage

• Advit Arora: KidsMatter

• Grey Bauer: Alive Centers for Teens

• Lily Bradley: The Morton Arboretum

• Lyndeia Clark: Naperville Park District

• Erin Dearie: Endeavor Health Edward Hospital

• Bianca Garcia: KidsMatter

• Siri Gundapaneni: West Suburban Community Pantry

• Olivia Huff: Western DuPage Special Recreation Association

• Jonathan Lissak: Good Shepherd Church Fusion Disability Ministry

• Yagnesh Lokesh: Endeavor Health and KidsMatter

• Monish Malla: Naperville Public Library

• Anna Mase: Little Friends Inc.

• Kiera Moran: Turning Pointe Autism Foundation

• Juliet Parrott: Little Friends Inc.

• Shrey Patel: Alive Centers for Teens

• Natalie Pope: 360 Youth Services

• Molly Rintoul: Naper Settlement

• Anirudh Saravanan: GiGi’s Playhouse Fox Valley

• Joshua Staggs: Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana

• Sylvia Steger: Naperville Public Library

• Anna Weber: 360 Youth Services

Since 1993, the Youth Service Award has honored Naperville-area students for outstanding community service and encouraged all youths to give back. KidsMatter joined the city of Naperville in championing this awards program in 2005 — before many of this year’s awardees were born.

KidsMatter thanks program sponsor Naperville Bank & Trust for their support as the visionary sponsor of this wonderful event celebrating students who serve. They are grateful for the support of Giving DuPage, which connects youth to volunteer opportunities throughout the county. They also received generous support from the city of Naperville’s Social Services Grant, Naperville Park District, Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, Celidan Creations, Culver’s, Area 51 Cupcakery, Satin Chari, Belgio’s Catering and Hailey Nicole Photography, whose actions show the community that KidsMatter to them.

The 2024 Youth Service Awards ceremony will premiere on-air at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 25, on Naperville Community Television, Channel 17 on Comcast and WOW or Channel 99 on AT&T U-verse. Livestream the program any time through on-demand video at NCTV17.org/watch-now/.