Kids & Family

Local Student Secures Nestle Grant for Youth Emporium

Alexander High School student Remel Williams writes winning proposal for her favorite charity.

Remel Williams, a senior at Alexander High School in Douglasville, Georgia and a member of the Nestlé Very Best in Youth Foundation, was the successful writer of a grant for her favorite local charity, Youth Emporium. Remel, who aspires to become an elementary school teacher, has been an active participant in Youth Emporium for four years. The annual Nestlé Very Best in Youth Foundation Grant Program, sponsored by Nestlé USA, recognizes exceptional young people all across America who excel academically and are also working to make their community a better place. The Program was created to spotlight the best in youth leadership by identifying and honoring teenagers in the United States whose community service efforts are making a profound difference in the lives of others.  Each year a select group of Foundation grants of $1000 are awarded and donated, in the Foundation member’s name, to the recipient’s charity of choice. Remel’s grant proposal supports Youth Emporium’s community Bike-A-Thon project. The Bike-A-Thon, which promotes awareness of childhood obesity and obesity-related illnesses, kicked off its inaugural event during the summer of 2013. Remel’s grant idea promotes the concept of Youth Health Ambassadors to support healthy eating and active lifestyles for students.

Remel is a scholar-athlete at Alexander High School where she runs track. In addition to her active participation in extracurricular activities and service-based organizations (Future Teachers of America, Future Business Leaders of America, Key Club, Beta Club, National Honor Society, Student Government Association, and the International Club); she also runs for the E-1 Track Club, a local AAU/USATF track club. Because of her passion for education, athletics, fitness, and wellness, Remel feels strongly about involving youth in the fight against childhood obesity. Remel’s Youth Health Ambassador Proposal was selected as a winning community idea by the Nestle review panel which consists of advisory board members made up of Nestlé Very Best In Youth past and current winners and Nestlé executives. As a result of being selected as a grant recipient, Youth Emporium is a benefactor of one of this year’s NVPIY Foundation grant.

Youth Emporium was founded by Brenda Hillman in 2008, Youth Emporium is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization based in Metro Atlanta (Douglasville) GA. Mrs. Hillman avers, “Youth Emporium’s mission is to educate, engage and empower young people through a variety of real life experiences and support services. These experiences and services seek to create purposeful opportunities for developing tomorrow's leaders, supporting the needs of the academically deficient student and having a positive impact on the community through youth based programming.” 

She further asserts, “The experiences engaged in by youth participating in Youth Emporium initiatives encompass cultural, humanitarian, environmental and technological themes.  We are very proud of Remel’s accomplishments,” states Hillman, “and honored to be a part of her development. She is a great example of what can be done when you are determined, focused and possess a love of community and others.”

Presenting the check to Youth Emporium’s President and Executive Director, Brenda Hillman was Youth Health Ambassador and Foundation grant recipient, Remel Williams. Also present for the presentation of the check by Remel to Mrs. Hillman was Alexander High School Principal, Nathan Hand who states, “We are very proud of Remel. She is an exemplary student who does extremely well in her academics, maintaining a 4.0 GPA.”

He further states, “Not only has Remel performed well in the classroom, where she has been recognized among the Top Ten Students each year; she is also a great track athlete and an active member of her community. Her service work includes projects in which she participates with her school and with outside organizations as well as some that she herself has initiated.”  He concludes by noting, “Remel is a humble and relatively shy young lady who leads with her heart. Her sense of responsibility, intellectual ability and enthusiasm for learning and working are qualities that should help her well in her future. She is undoubtedly the type of student that has the potential for great success with whatever endeavor she pursues. Her indefatigable efforts and leadership potential, combined with her work ethic and ability to self-improve, are recipes for success.”

Vice President Bentley, states on the Very Best in Youth website, “Nestlé USA is dedicated to America’s youth,” He further notes, “Young people are the future of this country, and it is up to adults to see that they are given the encouragement they need to reach their goals.” Prior to and immediately following the presentation, Ms. Hillman and Remel were busy making plans to get together to prepare for the 2014 Bike-A-Thon and other youth initiatives. It is clearly evident that both are very enthusiastic and optimistic about the program and about the potential for growth. Remel notes that she is very hopeful that as the program progresses, more students will be involved in the fight against childhood obesity. Remel avows, “My aspiration is that more youth, school groups and clubs will embrace the idea of Youth Health Ambassadors. I hope they seriously consider becoming Ambassadors who actively become involved in the support of healthy eating and active lifestyles for young people.


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