TIME and Nickelodeon Honor the First Kid of the Year
The TIME, TIME Kids, and Nickelodeon Event Special airs TONIGHT at 9|8c on your local CBS8!
Gitanjali Rao, 15, is Recognized as the 2020 Kid of the Year for Her Mission to Create a Global Community of Young Innovators to Solve the World’s Biggest Problems. The multiplatform initiative recognizes extraordinary young leaders who are making a positive impact in their communities. 2020 Kid of the Year is selected from a field of more than 5,000 amazing youth.
In an interview with Angelina Jolie for TIME, Rao spoke about her work using technology to tackle issues ranging from contaminated drinking water to opioid addiction and cyberbullying: “I don’t look like your typical scientist. Everything I see on TV is that it’s an older, usually white man as a scientist. It’s weird to me that it was almost like people had assigned roles, regarding like their gender, their age, the color of their skin. My goal has really shifted not only from creating my own devices to solve the world’s problems, but inspiring others to do the same as well. Because, from personal experience, it’s not easy when you don’t see anyone else like you. So I really want to put out that message: If I can do it, you can do it, and anyone can do it.” Gitanjali Rao is featured on the Dec. 14 cover of TIME, that was available on newsstands on Friday, Dec. 4.
Read the full interview and TIME cover story: time.com/kid-of-the-year-2020
The Kid of the Year TV special will feature celebrity guests making appearances throughout the special include Kristen Bell, Simone Biles, Dixie D’Amelio, Billie Eilish, Ken Jeong, Chris Hemsworth, Ken Jeong, Russell Westbrook and Malala Yousafzai, among others. They help surprise the top five Kid of the Year finalists and celebrate their work.
Time Kid of the Year airs TONIGHT (Dec.21) at 9|8c on your local CBS8!
