Nestlé USA today awarded 18-year-old Amber Kriech of Carmel, Ind. its prestigious Nestlé Very Best In Youth award. Amber joins 17 other outstanding young leaders from across the country recognized as the 2013 Nestlé Very Best In Youth. Now in its 16th year, the awards program honors young people for their academic excellence and proven dedication to improving communities and creating a better tomorrow.
Committed to helping at-risk homeless youth, Amber created the Youth for a Different Tomorrow Educational Fund, which has collected more than $3,200 and awarded $1,300 in grants to equip a local afterschool center and provide GED program materials. She has also helped create two education centers, 13 libraries and distributed eight “rolling libraries” to offer afterschool support and resources to underprivileged youth. Amber’s role model is Tony Dungy, former head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, who shares her passionate commitment to improving youth literacy.
Motivated by her passion for helping others, Amber plans to pursue a degree in Organizational Leadership and Supervision from Purdue University. A few of Amber’s many accomplishments include:
- Girl Scout Gold Award
- Carmel Mayor’s Youth Council
- Outreach Inc. Youth Volunteer of the Year
“Accounting for more than half of the global population, young people must take an active role in shaping tomorrow’s world,” said Ken Bentley, Nestlé vice president of community affairs & educational programs and author of the Nestlé Very Best In Youth book series. “Nestlé is proud to recognize this year’s Nestlé Very Best In Youth whose volunteerism, leadership, and entrepreneurial spirit are making a meaningful impact on communities around the world.”
Along with being named a Nestlé Very Best In Youth, Amber will receive a $1,000 donation to the charity of her choice and will be flown with a parent or guardian to Los Angeles for a red-carpet awards ceremony. Amber’s achievements will also be featured in the Nestlé Very Best In Youth book, distributed to schools, libraries and community organizations nationwide and available for the first time in e-book format in the summer of 2013.
Hundreds of student entries were submitted to Nestlé USA for consideration in this year’s competition. Leaders of service projects ranging from wildlife preservation and energy innovation to international poverty relief, the 18 youth honored with the Nestlé Very Best In Youth award are shining examples amongst their peers and communities.