2nd YouSmile Awards: "Trust children, believe in them, and the world can become better"! #YouSmileAwards
22 June 2018
PRESS RELEASE
Athens, 22 June 2018
2nd YouSmile Awards: "Trust children, believe in them, and the world can become better"! #YouSmileAwards
The 2nd YouSmile Awards were held on 21 June 2018 at Technopolis in Athens with the participation of students whose actions made a positive impact on their social environment and society as a whole. The event was moderated by TV/Radio presenter Dimitris Ouggarezos.
Students from different regions across Greece, teachers, parents and children filled the venue, where the 2nd YouSmile Awards were presented with the main slogan: “Trust children, believe in them, and the world can become better”.
The idea of the awards was created by the volunteer action of YouSmile with main aim to turn the attention of the public to what children have to tell us, as well as promote positive messages of the school community. Students-volunteers of YouSmile received the applications of children in cooperation with school counselors, whereas through a research process on the Internet they mapped actions of children worth to highlight. The final result was 5.800 students and 107 schools nationwide.
This year YouSmile awards were approved by the Ministry of Education and will take place on an annual basis.
8 winners were selected following the voting of students-volunteers of YouSmile without any participation or mediation from adults. All participants, however, received honorary awards for their actions.
Ms. Theoni Koufonikolakou, Assistant of the Greek Ombudsman for Children’s Rights, Ms. Anna Malti, Corporate Responsibility Manager of Cosmote, Giorgos Mavridis, presenter, Giannis Chatzigeorgiou, actor and Chrysa Katsarini, Youtuber/stand-up comedian were honored the event with their presence.
In his opening address, the President of “The Smile of the Child”, Mr. Costas Yannopoulos, highlighted the vision of 10-year-old Andreas Yannopoulos, founder of the Organization who inspired other children to become volunteers and offer their personal time to actions for the smile of every child! Mr. Yannopoulos added: “It is with great pleasure to be among you in a place full of children, parents and teachers. Today’s event belongs to children who are the citizens of tomorrow. Let’s listen to them, trust them and let’s encourage them to follow their dreams, without affecting their soul with our own problems”.
The categories and winners were the following:
Category: An adult who inspires children
awarded by: YouSmilers
Winner: Mr. Konstantinos Karaouzas, Paralympics Champion in Swimming
In 2000 due to a motorbike accident Mr. Karaouzas had a severe injury resulting to paraplegia. As a consequence, he lost the ability to move. Ever since, Konstantinos visits students and schools and talks about his experiences, the importance of setting goals and never giving up.
Category: Technology- Science
awarded by: Corporate Responsibility Section Manager of Cosmote Ms. Anna Malti
Winner: 16-year-old Anastasia Kosmetou
Over the past 1.5 year Anastasia works relentlessly in order to create the “Easy to Help” application. The application provides information on the availability of automatic defibrillators that can be used immediately and free-of-charge in any emergency situation as requested.
Category: Arts
awarded by: Giannis Chatzigeorgiou
Winner: 6th grade of Elementary School of Antikyra
Students of the Elementary School have undertaken the guided tour of students and adults in the museum of ALLOTROPIAS. After being informed about the exhibits and having acquired the necessary museum education, they were able to pass on this knowledge to children and adult visitors of the Museum. The children train other children to become the same guides as volunteer at the museum.
Category: Environment
awarded by: standup comedian / Youtuber κα Χρύσα Κατσαρίνη
Winners: Student of New Generation Ziridis schools
The students of the Primary, Gymnasium and Lyceum of the New Generation Ziridis schools were sensitized and collected 3.000 packages for a Recycling Competition. Students are making experiments as part of biology, chemistry and science courses related to environmental protection. The students also created the educational animation entitled "Our environmental pollution" with the aim to sensitize their classmates about the environmental problems of our time.
Category: Rights
awarded by: Ms. Theoni Koufonikolakou, Assistant of the Greek Ombudsman for Children’s Rights
Winner: Maria Karakasidou
Maria Karakasidou is a student of the Special Lyceum of Athens in Ilioupoli, suffers from spastic quadriplegia and moves with a wheelchair. She has recently undergone a bone lengthening operation on her leg and suffers from severe pains that make her life, school attendance and her psychology difficult. Awareness raising programs on volunteering, solidarity and cultural differences were held at her school, while her grandfather taught her Russian, something she had never shared with any of her classmates. To her surprise, many children asked her to teach them Russian, so she started organizing and preparing the lessons with books and notes. All of this helped much in her psychological condition and her performance with school lessons.
Category: A school that helps other children /society
awarded by: Giorgos Mavridis, Presenter
Winners: 28th General Lyceum of Thessaloniki
32 students from the 28th General Lyceum of Thessaloniki take action inside and outside school to support those who need it and not only. Thanks to their own constructions and work they have renovated radically a hall exceeding even the best of the European standards. For second consecutive year, they organized the OPEN SCHOOL DAY with the aim to bring their school to the center of local activities, even for one day. They are also supporting the Hospitality and the Friends of Families. In addition, they organized a voluntary blood donation with the participation of teachers, pupils, parents and graduates in collaboration with Theagenio Hospital. Finally, motivated by the case of one of their peers, they organized a big celebration bringing together 600 pupils from local schools, who were also motivated by students of the 28th of the General Lyceum of Thessaloniki and they all joined together to pass the message that information and action on bone marrow donation is a matter of education.
Category: Children who help other children
awarded by: Mr. Costas Yannopoulos, President of the BoD of “The Smile of the Child”
Winner: 14-year-old Varvara Tsiligiri
Barbara is 14 years old and is from Rhodes. A few months ago, at the risk of her own life, she entered a neighbor's home to save the three children who were in it, while the flames had fused the house. At that time, their parents were absent. Barbara, with this act, became the heroine of the village.
Category: Sports
Winner: 17-year-old Dimitris Papadimitriou, sailing athlete
Dimitris Papadimitriou is a laser radial athlete and has been involved in sports since the age of 6. In 2014 he was third in the World Championship, in 2015 second in the European and this year, although only 17 years old, he won the gold medal.
*Dimitris was unable to attend the event due to his participation to the Mediterranean Games in Spain
We would like to warmly thank the following sponsors:
● EUROPEAN RELIANCE for the financial support
● DIASTASIS the printing services
● ELLINAIR the transport
● LIVEMEDIA the streaming
● ZUCCHERINO the catering
● DOMINOS the catering
● TOKOTOUKAN the t-shirts of Yousmilers
A big thank you to the TECHNOPOLIS of the Municipality of Athens
Watch live HERE
Photo Material HERE
About YouSmile HERE
For more information, please contact
“The Smile of the Child”
Tel. 210-3306140
