The community came together to recognize and celebrate young people making a difference at the Naperville Youth Service Awards 2021 presented by Mayor Steve Chirico, the Naperville City Council, and KidsMatter.
The Bella Cantare Choir from Young Naperville Singers performed and Naperville City Council members, Patty Gustin, Dr. Benjamin White, and Jennifer Bruzan Taylor assisted in the award presentation.
During the Naperville Youth Service Awards 2021, 11 different organizations and 14 youth volunteers were honored. Groups such as the 360 Youth Services, Naper Settlement, and The Morton Arboretum were represented.
The Naperville Youth Service Awards are presented by KidsMatter, together with Mayor Steve Chirico and the City Council, they honor young people who connect with opportunities that give them a sense of purpose, provide them with valuable hands-on experiences, and ignite the volunteer spirit that has helped make Naperville the thriving community it is today.
Naperville Youth Service Awards Nomination Process
Step One
Community leaders nominate youth in the Naperville, Illinois area who demonstrate a passion for providing service to both their community and the world.
Step Two
Information on nominees is submitted and reviewed by a panel of KidsMatter members and partners to determine who the finalists should be.
Step Three
Of the nominees, 25 youth are awarded a Youth Service Award by KidsMatter and are then honored by the City of Naperville Mayor, Steve Chirico, and Councilpersons in an awards ceremony.
KidsMatter
Serving 45,000 kids in Naperville. KidsMatter works to help young people build developmental assets including positive values, healthy relationships, and self-esteem.
Edward Hospital created KidsMatter (formerly known as the Naperville Youth Development Coalition) as a community-wide prevention health strategy to combat teenage destructive behaviors and was granted our 501(c)(3) status in 2001. Recognizing a problem-centered approach that relies heavily on professionals and public-sector resources rarely works by itself, Edward and a team of Naperville community leaders looked for a complementary approach that focuses on the healthy development of all young people, regardless of race/ethnicity/economic background, and requires action by all residents of the community.
To watch more community events and presentations, click here.
