Detroit Catholic Central Student Gets Nickelodeon HALO Honor

DETROIT, MI – Catholic Central High student Caleb White is among four teens from across the nation to be honored at the 2017 Nickelodeon HALO Awards for young leaders who are changing their communities and the world by "Helping and Leading Others."

The 15-year-old Northville resident and student at Detroit Catholic Central is being recognized for his Caleb White Project, an organization he started after being moved by homelessness in his community. The organization, which is led by him and eight student board members, is a community-wide effort to combat homelessness and help build youth leaders through volunteerism.

Since its inception, the project has donated more than $300,000 to the homeless and enlisted more than 3,500 volunteers to help renovate houses, clean and repair treatment facilities, and build relationships with youth in shelters through planned game nights.

>>> Detroit Central Catholic Kid Makes Big Impression On Volunteerism

Caleb and three other honorees – Andrew Dunn, 14, of Louisville, Kentucky, Raegen Junge, 12, of Keystone, Iowa, and Zoe Terry, 11, of Miami, Florida – took part in a concert special taped at New York's Pier 36. The show featured pop stars Kelly Clarkson, Kelsea Ballerina and Hey Violet, among others. The one-hour special, hosted by Nick Cannon, will air at 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26.

The Nickelodeon HALO Awards 2017 also will feature small, immediately actionable ways for kids and families to help and lead others and join the HALO (Helping and Leading Others) Movement, which is a year-round pro-social initiative that recognizes kids who are making a difference in the world.

Nickelodeon has teamed up with longstanding volunteer partners Key Club and DoSomething.org to mobilize kids to participate in service projects, for the opportunity to receive seed grants or scholarship funds for school. WeHALO.com provides information on how to participate in the Nickelodeon HALO Movement and apply for HALO grants through Key Club and DoSomething.org.

In addition to Caleb's project, here are the other HALO recipients and descriptions of their endeavors:

• Andrew Dunn, 14, of Louisville, Ky. started his organization, RAK Louisville (Random Acts of Kindness Louisville), in an effort to flood Louisville with kindness. He was inspired after receiving an advent calendar from his mom, which required him to perform a daily act of kindness in order to receive a present. Through RAK Louisville, Dunn encourages people to complete kindness challenges, organizes community events, helps students seek out service opportunities and motivates others to start their own projects.

• Raegan Junge, 12, of Keystone, Iowa, was 6-years-old when she saw the destruction from a tornado in Missouri on the news. Eager to help, she sold homemade bracelets at a local store, raising $1,600 for a couple who was affected by the tragedy. This experience gave life to Raegan’s Relief Efforts, Junge’s organization that fundraises through bracelet, lip balm and garage sales, and donates and delivers products to people who have been affected by natural disasters. To date, Raegan’s Relief Efforts has raised over $23,000 in 25 different states.

• Zoe Terry, 11, Miami, Fla. – Zoe Terry was bullied for the color of her skin and hair texture at a young age. With the support of her mom and teachers, Terry came to feel comfortable in her own skin and realized that she wanted to help other girls feel beautiful and confident as well. As a result, Terry founded Zoe’s Dolls, an organization that focuses on girl empowerment and combats bullying through a variety of programs and events that incorporate fitness, self-expression and community spirit.

Photos courtesy of Nickelodeon