3rd YouSmile Awards: “Children can make a better world! Let’s trust them!!#YouSmileAwards

PRESS RELEASE

Athens, 27 June 2019

3rd YouSmile Awards: “Children can make a better world!

Let’s trust them!!#YouSmileAwards

With students from all over Greece being the protagonists, and their teachers and parents also participating, the 3rd YouSmile Awards were held on Thursday, the 27th of June 2019 at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation. The aim of this special event, moderated by Greek TV presenter, Dimitris Ouggarezos was to highlight actions and initiatives that had a positive impact on their social surroundings and inspired other children and adults. The YouSmile Awards take place on a yearly basis and are approved by the Hellenic Ministry of Education.

In a venue flooded with warm smiles and enthusiasm the 3rd YouSmile Awards took place yet another year with: “Children can make our world better! Let's trust them! as their main message.

A key highlight of the event was, when students, members of YouSmile European Student Volunteer Network, which is coordinated by “The Smile of the Child”, were awarded. This network aims among others at turning the attention of everyone on what children have to say for the world they dream to live in. Student volunteers of YouSmile collected nationwide nominations of children with the help of Educational Coordinators. At the same time, based on an Internet search they identified similar initiatives and actions of children, worth being highlighted and promoted them. This process lead to 9.578 nominations from 145 schools nationwide!

The 9 winners were voted by YouSmile students without any interference from adults. All participants, however, received honorable praises for the action they undertook. The event was honored by the presence of Stelios Kimpouropoulos, MEP and doctor, Theodoros Tsatsos, Vice-President of the Organization “I read for others”, Leonidas Koutsopoulos, a Greek chef, Eirini Papadopoulos, a Greek singer, Manto Gasteratou, a Greek TV presenter, and Chrysa Katsarini, a Greek comedian and Youtuber.

In his welcoming address, the President of the Board of Directors of “The Smile of the Child”, Mr. Costas Yannopoulos referred to Andreas, the 10-year old founder of the Organization, who inspired other children to become volunteers and take action in order to ensure the smile of every child! “24 years ago, little Andreas gave the best example on how children can change the world by inspiring other children, adults, as well as the entire society. By following this example, today we give the floor to children in order to be heard, express freely what they believe and act in their own unique and spontaneous way without adults to impose their views. On the contrary what we must do is to listen to children carefully, empower them in order to become the adults of tomorrow who will make our society better. We are proud that YouSmile Awards have become a well-established event within Greek society that allows us to showcase the positive examples of these children who make the difference not with words, but by realizing their dreams for a better world”.

The categories, the awardees and the winners are as follows:

Category: Children help children

Awarded by Costas Yannopoulos, President of the Organization of “The Smile of the Child”
Winner: Vasilis Androutsopoulos, 14 years old

14-year-old Vasilis saved his grandmother and his sister from the deadly wildfires in 2008 in Mati, Attica. He and his friends wiped out the flames that were approaching the beach and protected dozens of people from the deadly danger.

Category: A school that helps Children

Awarded by Stelios Kimpouropoulos, Doctor, MEP, Greece
Winners: students of the 1st Gymnasium of Kaisariani, Athens

15 students of the school recorded with camera the difficulties faced by two of their classmates with mobility problems, mainly from and to school. Vassilis and Evanthia face life dynamically, and so did their classmates who tried to claim for those what is "self-evident": EQUAL RIGHTS rather than regret and isolation.

Category: Arts - Culture

Awarded by Chrisa Katsarini, Comedian, Youtuber
Winners: special Primary School of Mytilene

13 students of the Special Primary School of Mytilene created a short film titled: "I paint…". The film was part of the 9thInternational Student Short Film Competition held during the school year 2018-2019 and was awarded in the category of posters. Children made the poster for the film on their own with: "Art adds something different to our everyday life, it embellishes our lives" as the main message.

Category: Human Rights Defense

Awarded by Leonidas Koutsopoulos, Greek chef
Winner: Thanasis Stoilis, 14 years old

14-year-old Thanassis Stoilis, a student at the 3rd High School in Echedorou, Kalohori, provided services to a wheelchair maker who traveled with a wheelchair. For a period of 5 months, due to the lack of Special Assistant Staff in the school unit, Thanasis took over the movement, assistance and support of his classmate, during the breaks and during the courses.

Winner: Arif Salioglou, 13 years old

Arif Salioglu, a 13-year-old pupil at the Gymnasium of Soufli in Evros, cared throughout the school year for the movement of his classmate who moves by wheelchair. Due to the lack of supporting staff in the school, Arif took care of his classmatevoluntarily and with great dedication.

Category: Environment

Awarded by Manto Gasteratou, Greek presenter
Winner: Primary School of Plateos, Imathia

82 students from the Primary School of Plato, Imathia, took the initiative with the support of the school's educational staff and "spilled" into the village to collect waste rubbish from streets, sidewalks and huts. In doing so, they proved to adults that they truly care for the protection of the environment and the magnitude of pollution due to the unintentional dumping of waste.

Category: Technology - Science

Awarded by Thodoris Tsatsos, Vice-President of the Organization “I read for Others”
Winner: 1st class of High- School of Ekpaideutiki Anagennisi

12 students of the 1st Lyceum of the Ekpaideutiki Anagennisi Schoolin Afidnes, built an innovative walking stick for visually impaired people. The stick has three high-tech sensors that detect obstacles and then give audible and sensory instructions to the person holding it. The "By Heart" product is environmentally friendly as it is made of recyclable materials and its sensors do not emit radiation.

Category: Sports

Awarded by Eirini Papadopoulou, Greek singer
Winner: Giorgos Michailides, 15 years old

Giorgos Michailidis, a 15-year-old student at Alonian High School, is a 57 kg Greco-Roman wrestler athlete. In 2017 George won the Silver medal at the Greco-Roman International Wrestling Tournament in Zagreb, Croatia. This year, he surpassed his last successand won the Gold Medal at the International Tournament held in Gatitja in Serbia.

Category: Anadult who inspires children

Winner: Dimitris Antoniou

Dimitris Antoniou was nominated by students of the 8th Gymnasium of Kalamaria. Dimitris helped create the School Lego Robotic Team. He collaborated with the students and made the group song. He participated in the FLL Pan-Hellenic Robotic Competition in March 2018, supporting the team and raising awareness among the organizers of the competition who honored him for his work. The team, with its own guidance, won the First Prize in Core Values among 342 teams nationwide and qualified to the World Competition. Dimitris with his motto: C'EST LA VIE "so is life" has brought children the message that they should never put it down!

The video of the event is available here (only in Greek)

Follow the activities of YouSmile European Student Volunteer Network on Instagram here.

For more information about the press release please contact our Press Team at press@hamogelo.gr or at +30 210 33 06140.

We would like to warmly thank the following sponsors of the event:

● AEGEAN AIRLINES
● ΑKZOT- ART PHOTOGRAPHY
● AMEA TAXI
● ATHENS TIARE HOTEL
● BLUE STARFERRIES
● CHROMA FASHION HOTEL
● DIGIPRINT
● ELLINAIR
● FRESH
● KUBIC HOTEL
● LIVEMEDIA
● PIZZA HUT
● RADISSON BLU
● TGI FRIDAYS
● TOKOTOUKAN
● VISUAL GRAPHICS
● AGRAFA
● ZULU PIXELS - ZOUNTOURIDIS KONSTANTINOS
● MICHALIS CACOYIANNIS FOUNDATION
● ΤΡΑΙΝΟΣΕ
● ΦΑΡΟΣ ΤΥΦΛΩΝ