TIME Magazine just announced the 20 finalist for the first ever Kid of the Year Award! 2020 has brought a lot of challenges for us adults, and especially children. That is why TIME and Nickelodeon have partnered up to commend the hard work kids have put in around the country to stay positive and improve their communities. The special will simulcast across Nickelodeon, CBS Television Network, TeenNick and Nicktoons on Friday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT).
The top 20 Kid of the Year finalists were selected following a nationwide search that received over 5,000 inspirational kids being nominated. 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.
Meet TIME's first ever Kid of the Year, inventor and scientist Gitanjali Rao! She's 14 years old from Lone Tree, Colorado and was previously named America's Top Young Scientist of 2017 by the Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, with a patent pending device to detect lead in water faster than any other current techniques. She is also the winner of a global Paradigm science challenge, 3 time TEDx speaker and has spoken at several girls' and global conference and was a UNICEF panelist discussing the role of youth in powering the planet. She has won awards for her writing in national and international contests and published her first book at age of 9, called, "Baby Brother Wonders." The self-illustrated book, based on the story that won 2nd prize in the PBS national writing contest, described the world through her younger brother's point of view.