LOS ANGELES — Nov. 17, 2013 – Enrique Iglesias, Fall Out Boy, Austin Mahone, Dax Shepard, Darren Criss, Kevin Jonas, Nikki Reed, Chloe Bennet and Jennette McCurdy were among the celebs who joined host Nick Cannon in honoring four extraordinary teens at the fifth annual TeenNick HALO Awards, Sunday, Nov. 17, at 8 – 9:30 p.m. (ET/tape delayed for the west coast) on Nick at Nite.  Conceived, hosted and executive-produced by Cannon, the TeenNick HALO Awards were broadcast live for the first time ever from the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, Calif., and celebrated real teens who are “Helping and Leading Others” (HALO) and making a difference in their communities.  The TeenNick HALO Awards will encore Monday, Nov. 18, at 9 p.m. (ET) on TeenNick.
 
As part of Nickelodeon’s ongoing commitment to encourage young people to take action, the network announced the “HALO Effect,” a year-round initiative that recognizes one deserving teen every month for their work to help and lead others in the community.  The “HALO Effect” will kick off January 2014 and a $5,000 grant will be awarded to a charity designated by each teen.  Nominations are being accepted now and details can be found at http://www.teennick.com/haloawards.
 
“We started the HALO movement and awards five years ago to honor young people who are doing extraordinary things in their communities, and it’s been amazing to see the positive message they are sending spread across the country,” said Cannon.  “We know so many teens are committed to HALOing year-round, so we created the ‘HALO Effect’ to support the great work they’re doing and keep the momentum going.”
 
In the spirit of the awards, Nickelodeon partnered with Amigos de los Rios, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Key Club International in the Los Angeles area to reward their star volunteers with the opportunity to be part of the TeenNick HALO Awards.  The audience was comprised of kids who earned a ticket by participated in at least three hours of community service.
 
Fall Out Boy kicked off the awards ceremony with “Alone Together,” while Mahone had the audience singing along to a medley of “What About Love” and new single “Banga! Banga!”   In a show-stopping performance, Iglesias closed the night with “Heart Attack.”  Celebrities in attendance also visited the “HALO Hive,” an interactive social media lounge hosted by iJustine, to encourage viewers to tweet with #HALOawards and Instagram pics to share how they help and lead others in their own communities.
Previously announced HALO Award honorees – Miranda Fuentes, Zachary Kerr, Rocio Ortega and Denzel Thompson – were awarded scholarship funds at the awards ceremony.  They previously received a grant for their charity and were given an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet and connect with a mega-celebrity who shares a similar passion for their cause.  Their celebrity matches are Shay Mitchell, Josh Hutcherson, Chris Paul and Queen Latifah, respectively, and their taped segments were featured in the show.
This year’s HALO honorees are:
Miranda Fuentes, 16, Pembroke Pines, Fla. (paired with Shay Mitchell) – Inspired by her younger brother Lucas who has autism, Miranda Fuentes has spent the past five years volunteering with Surfers for Autism.  The Florida-based organization uses surfing as hydrotherapy, which helps the kids open up and express themselves in a calming environment. The organization also helps eliminate the social stigma around autism and gives the participants an opportunity to impress their families with their new capabilities.  Fuentes’ HALO match Shay Mitchell works with the Somaly Mam Foundation to eradicate sex slavery, liberate its victims, and empower survivors to create and sustain lives of dignity and as agents of next-generation change.
 
Zachary Kerr, 19, Methuen, Mass. (paired with Josh Hutcherson) – Growing up as one of three identical triplets, Zachary Kerr spent years battling gender identity issues before making a transitional journey from female to male.  After facing tough challenges, he became a positive advocate for the transgender community, facilitating educational programs through Greater Boston PFLAG and paving the way for more acceptance and equal treatment for others like him at both state and national levels.  Kerr’s HALO match, Josh Hutcherson, was a founding member of Straight But Not Narrow (SBNN), an organization that prepares and trains young adults on how to become allies of their LGBTQ peers.
 
Rocio Ortega, 19, Los Angeles, Calif. (paired with Chris Paul) – A first-generation Mexican American, Rocio Ortega developed a passion for advocating education as a way to help young women become independent and successful.  She works extensively with GlobalGirl Media, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering girls from under-served communities around the world through new media leadership training, and Girl Up, a campaign of the United Nations Foundation.  Ortega’s HALO match is Chris Paul who founded the CP3 Foundation, a philanthropic partnership with The Winston-Salem Foundation that strives to impact the communities it services by using its resources and passion for philanthropy to enhance and promote education, health, sports and social responsibility for youth and families.
 
Denzel Thompson, 19, Philadelphia, Pa. (paired with Queen Latifah) – Denzel Thompson is a co-founder of Philadelphia Urban Creators (PUC), a youth led organization that grows organic food and revitalizes blighted landscapes into models of urban sustainability from the ground up, after battling obesity and self-esteem issues as a kid.  In addition to organizing homegrown affordable farmers markets for the neighborhood, Thompson conducts educational workshops for youth in his community so they can begin to expand the Urban Creator mission throughout Philadelphia and eventually the world.  Thompson’s HALO match, Queen Latifah, supports Boys & Girls Clubs of America, whose mission is to enable young people most in need to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
 
The TeenNick HALO Awards dedicated site features profiles of the honorees, and photos of celebrity hosts, presenters and musical performers, in addition to enlisting teens across the country to show how they “HALO.”  On the night of the event, TeenNick.com offered viewers an immersive, enhanced viewing of the live show with real-time orange carpet coverage, show highlight clips and exclusive behind-the-scenes pics and videos.  Starting Nov. 18, TeenNick.com will have even more exclusive goodies including a post-show wrap-up video and blog recap, celebrity interviews and GIFs on the orange carpet, plus the honorees’ most memorable moments.  The 2013 TeenNick HALO Awards can be viewed on the site in its entirety beginning Nov. 19.
 
Presenting sponsors of the fifth annual TeenNick HALO Awards are COVERGIRL, Reese’s Puffs® cereal, Green Giant and Target.
 
The TeenNick HALO Awards is a Nickelodeon Original executive produced by Nick Cannon, Alex Coletti and Sal Maniaci.
Nickelodeon, now in its 34th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in almost 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 18 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com.  Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B).
 
Contacts:
Maggie Wang
212-846-6381
Maggie.wang@nick.com
Heather Brown
212-846-6240
Heather.Brown@nick.com
Ariana Urbont
310-752-8079
Ariana.Urbont@nick.com

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