JVibe’s first-ever “18 Under 18” awards were years in the making; the responsibility of choosing these remarkable teens wasn’t taken lightly. We received nominations from March through May from all over North America, and the competition was fierce. Since we’ve never run an awards program before, we didn’t know what to expect. We were floored by the creative and inspiring accomplishments of the young adults who were nominated. From philanthropy to theater to helping the disadvantaged to music, we found the nominees’ talents not only varied but also deeply passionate.

The hardest part of the whole process for us was choosing only 18 teens; every teen nominated was truly inspirational. The winners, listed in alphabetical order, represent those who we felt were most extraordinary in their dedication to a cause or pursuit reflecting Jewish values and an inspiration to other teens. We hope they serve as role models for everyone, and we look forward to seeing the ways in which they make positive change in years to come. At long last, here’s our list.

1. Aaron Feuer, 18, Los Angeles, Calif.
When Aaron wanted to empower his fellow students to improve their schools, he took a grassroots approach. To create awareness among his peers and provide them with access to reforming public education, he ran for president of the California Association of Student Councils (CASC). As president, he led a statewide team of 25 students, who run 60 programs each year and work directly with the government. Aaron personally trained and spoke to more than 6,000 students and teachers across the state about leadership skills and student action, and his new recruiting program for statewide positions led to three times the number of applicants than in the previous year. Under Aaron’s supervision, there’s been an enormous increase in student leadership participation. Aaron was also recently named a winner in the 2009 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards.

In what ways does Aaron hope his leadership will impact public education? “I have fought for improvements to our public schools locally and across California,” he says. “I have trained thousands of students to empower them to change their schools. As an adult, I hope to become an educator and public official so I can formally establish these avenues for student leadership.”

Says June Thompson, Ph.D., executive director of CASC and Aaron’s advisor during his three years on the state council: “Aaron is instrumental in preparing young people to serve as leaders in their schools and communities. As these students graduate and move to all parts of the country and world, they will utilize these skills in their professional and volunteer lives.”

2. Alex Hess, 16, Portland, Ore.
A member of the Oregon Jewish Community Youth Foundation, Alex didn’t stand by last year when there weren’t adequate funds to allocate to the projects he loved and cared about—JVibe and our sister publication BabagaNewz. Instead of leaving his community without access to these free resources, this youth philanthropist and his older brother, Harrison, personally provided additional funding for a grant for statewide subscriptions. Since then, JVibe has provided nearly 150 subscriptions free of charge to Portland residents, adding to the 18 other grant-supported regions and helping us fulfill our mission.

Alex says: “Making a difference isn’t as hard as it seems. Whether it’s giving to a homeless person or volunteering at a local organization, you can help make a difference.”

Family friend Dr. Hilary Greenwood says Alex is one of the most genuine people she knows. “Alex is passionate about situations that others may overlook and isn’t afraid of working to enlist others to join him in fixing the problem,” she says. “His optimism, faith and respect for each person he meets make a difference not only in his family and community, but in the world.”

3. Alexander Gould, 15, Acton, Calif.
From the age of 2, Alexander has been an inspiration as a professional actor. Unlike many of today’s celebrity teens, Alexander’s priorities are his education, participating in social action projects with United Synagogue Youth (USY) and investing his energy in his career. As the voice of Nemo in the 2003 Disney hit Finding Nemo and currently as Shane Botwin on Showtime’s acclaimed series Weeds, Alexander has proved that teens can follow their dreams while living values-based lives. Alexander also appeared on the cover of our November/December 2008 issue and has been a role model for our readers.

“I’m very involved in my Judaism and in the Jewish community through USY,” Alexander explains. “This helps me stay grounded, let loose and be a normal kid. My involvement in USY is definitely shaping me to be a good person; it’s giving me a good foundation for the rest of my life.”

Merrill Alpert, director of youth activities for the Far West Region of USY, says: “Alex is extraordinary because as a child actor he could easily have a huge ego, but in fact he’s a very humble person. He realizes his responsibility to do good because he knows other people are watching his every move. It says a lot about him that he has chosen to be an active member of USY, an organization where being Jewish is at the core.”

4. Allison Novack, 17, Surfside, Fla.
Allison combines her passion for music with writing and leadership by producing teen-friendly concerts with 1308 Productions, a non-profit that she and her family created to bring emerging bands to youth at an affordable cost in the Miami area. The shows have since become officially endorsed by MTV’s Rock the Vote organization and encourage teens to get involved with politics. Not only are rising bands getting great exposure with new audiences, but teens who help Allison organize and promote the events receive community-service credit.

When asked how she feels about being on this list, Allison says: “It amazes me that I’m recognized in a list of only 18 students. It really is an honor, since the reason [for getting involved] was not to be recognized. I did it because I enjoy it, and I’m glad for all of the positive results that are created.”

Clark Douglas Burris, director of Rock Ensemble, Sound Engineering and Guitar Studies at Miami Beach Senior High School, says: “By taking the unusual initiative, as a teenager, to provide these special events for her fellow teenagers to display their musical talents, Allison has set the example for others to follow. This is only one of the ways in which Allison, in her own unique fashion, has improved the world.”

5. Brian Brooks, 16, Miami, Fla.
Four years ago, Brian decided to take his passion for music and DJing and turn it into a charitable DJ business to raise money for his bar mitzvah project. Since then, he’s raised roughly $15,000 for local and national charities. His business also spawned two other organizations: Play It Forward, which collects music equipment for needy school bands, and Teen Jam Night, which hosts evenings of live performances by local teen bands. Furthering his interest in music, Brian wasted no time after joining the JVibe Teen Advisory Board’s writers’ group. He first impressed the editors by snagging an interview with reggae-rapper Matisyahu and, more important, helping us realize its potential as the cover story for the May/June 2009 issue. It turned out to be an incredible fit for our Jewish Diversity theme.

As an aspiring journalist, how does Brian hope his writing will impact people? “My main goal is to inspire different perspectives for my readers, and ultimately allow them to have different opinions,” he says. “I hope my writing can motivate people to think and talk about things they may have been unable to express prior to reading my work.”

Says Mitchell Kaplan, owner of Books & Books in Florida, who has worked with Brian on community events: “When Brian came to see me just over two years ago to talk about how Books & Books could better serve the young people in our community, I was impressed by his focus, maturity and poise. He had identified a part of our community that up until then had been marginalized and ignored. He suggested we get in touch with local high school students who had rock bands and recruit them to put on a free rock concert in our open-air courtyard.”

6. Bryna Oleshansky, 17, Knoxville, Tenn.
Camp Tikkun Olam was not only a family creation, but an adventure that Bryna made her own. Taking on a leadership role in the exchange program that’s part of UJC’s Partnership 2000, Bryna has hosted teens from Hadera-Eiron, Israel, on the exchange program with Knoxville for eight years. She recently participated in the program herself, which consisted of four weeks of service in each community. Also the n’siah (president) of her local BBG chapter, a B’nei Tzedek fund holder and member of the J-Serve planning committee, Bryna is devoted to social action in her community.

Bryna is also an accomplished rower, and she has several major goals for her future. “Rowing is a lot of hard work and very intense,” she says. “It can be overwhelming at times, but I try to focus on one day at a time. I hope to go very far with my rowing career—the World Championships in France this year, and maybe eventually the Olympics.”

Marilyn Wohl, vice president of Jewish Family Services at the Knoxville Jewish Alliance and a friend of Bryna, says about her: “She’s a great role model because she’s fully engaged in any activity in which she participates, seeming to be intrinsically aware that the energy she exerts has a direct impact on its outcome.”

7. David Schenirer, 17, Sacramento, Calif.
As an active leader in the Sacramento Youth Leadership Program, David founded VIBE, a youth-led safe place for teens in his community that will open next spring. VIBE will be an entirely teen-owned and teen-operated career center and urban lounge where local teens can gain academic and vocational skills, participate in service projects and socialize with one another. The peer-to-peer resource center will offer tutoring, job-search assistance, computer training and more. David also founded Sole Patrol, a program that collects and donates shoes to third-world countries. David was also recently named a finalist in the 2009 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards.

When David found out he was selected, he was surprised. “To me, it was quite a surprise, as I didn’t know I had been nominated,” he says. Ironically, David was the only nominee to be nominated twice. “I do what I do for the community and to make a difference; even if it’s tiny, it’s a difference,” he adds. “To be recognized for doing something I enjoy is a super bonus!”

Christina DeMoss, David’s advisor for VIBE and the Sacramento Youth Commission, who considers him a friend and ally, says: “Every person who is impacted by David will continue to move forward in a positive and enlightened direction. He founded VIBE almost two years ago and still works tirelessly on this project with few incentives.”

8. Emma Wahl, 14, Pepper Pike, Ohio
After making her Broadway debut in the cast of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at age 7, Emma has continued acting professionally. On top of her incredible young career, she has found ways to use her talents for tikkun olam (repairing the world). She has organized charitable events incorporating theater, most notably in a show that’s two years in the making, which will bring arts and AIDS education to youth in India, South Africa, New York City and Florida through Artists Striving to End Poverty.

Why does Emma love acting on Broadway so much? “I love Broadway because New York City is such an energetic place, and the people are all unique,” she says. “Through all of the special effects, songs and choreography, Broadway really tries to transport the audience and make it a one-of-a-kind experience.”

Ellen Brown, editor of the family section at the Cleveland Jewish News, who has written about Emma’s accomplishments, has this to say about her: “What’s so inspiring about Emma is how she takes it all in stride. If you ask her about herself, she’ll also mention some of her sports and music interests, even though she doesn’t have national recognition in those areas. That’s what makes her a role model. For her school project, she didn’t want to have a show of her singing, or even of her famous friends. She wanted a performance that would raise money for other young people. She made it a point not to be on the stage—the cause was in the spotlight.”

9. Erin Schrode, 18, Ross, Calif.
Erin is the co-founder and spokeswoman for Teens Turning Green and Teens for Safe Cosmetics, two national teen movements. Advocating for policy change and educating her peers and community about healthier choices, Erin also co-created Project Green Prom, a challenge to engage high school students across the country to “green” their proms and prom preparation. She also wrote a chapter in Girls Gone Green, to be published this year, and in June she traveled to Togo in West Africa on a humanitarian mission. Erin was also recently named a winner in the 2009 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards.

Jeremiah McElwee, senior whole body coordinator for Whole Foods Market, who has worked with Erin and her team, says: “By shining the light on some of the toxic ingredients in cosmetics and household products, Erin helps everyone be informed so they can make wiser product choices for their health and the health of the environment. When I first met Erin at the Teens for Safe Cosmetics summit two years ago, I was stunned at the eloquence, passion and knowledge she had pertaining to all things green and how to create real change with her fellow teens, community and state.”

10. Ethan Barhydt, 18, Deerfield, Ill.
Ethan founded Youth United for Darfur, an organization dedicated to ending the genocide of Darfur’s people. Not only does Ethan fundraise, educate and hold rallies to help those in Africa, but he’s also active with Sudanese refugees in America. The Save Darfur organization named Ethan a “Darfur Hero,” and to uphold his commitment to this important cause, he will intern in Washington, D.C., in September at a nonprofit that advocates for the people of Darfur. Later in the year, before heading to college, Ethan plans to travel to Africa to learn more about the conflicts that plague the Eastern region.

“In seventh grade, I took a class through my temple that focused solely on the Holocaust,” Ethan says. “On the final day of the class, my teacher announced that we would be taking a final exam. When I turned over the sheet of paper, it simply said: ‘Your final exam is how you conduct the rest of your lives. Can it happen again? The answer is up to you and your choices. Will you choose to get involved, or will you be a bystander?’ That day, I promised never to be a bystander to injustice. Five years later, I continue to use those words as a reminder of my responsibility to stand against human-rights atrocities.”

Sean Tenner, a member of the board of directors for the Sudanese Community Association of Illinois, says: “Ethan has an unparalleled ability to focus on an objective and see it through to completion. I often find myself forgetting that Ethan is a high school student because his remarkable professionalism and maturity make him seem years past his age.”

11. Jacqueline Rotman, 18, Santa Barbara, Calif.
Jacqueline started Everybody Dance Now! to bring hip-hop dance to the low-income youth of Santa Barbara. She expanded this group over the last two years to serve more than 600 youth with dance programs—an endeavor that required her to fundraise more than $35,000. Jacqueline has organized performances at many community venues, including a hospice-care facility for the terminally ill and a brain-injury recovery center. She coordinates the entire program, including hiring teachers, organizing classes, maintaining her website and writing grant applications. Jacqueline was also recently named a winner in the 2009 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards.

When asked how dance inspires her, Jacqueline explains: “Dance is more than a physical activity; it’s a powerful creative force that can help people in invaluable ways. I felt blessed to be able to dance as a way to find happiness and to cope with the challenges and pressures of growing up, and I wanted to give that opportunity to young people who would otherwise never have it.”

Julie McLeod, executive director of the Santa Barbara Dance Alliance, wishes she had more teens like Jacqueline to mentor. “If Jackie is making such a dent as a teen, look out for her as an adult,” she says. “Jackie finds so many things in this universe that excite her, and they are all about making a difference in the world.”

12. Jake Spinowitz, 18, Woodbury, N.Y.
Jake was born with severe hearing loss and then lost all residual hearing at the start of high school. But after he received a cochlear implant, he decided to do something to help others with hearing loss. He started Lend an Ear Long Island to collect and refurbish hearing aids and provide them to the needy. Jake has also served on teen panels to talk about overcoming a disability. Since his implant, he had to re-teach himself to hear correctly, and even taught himself to play the guitar before joining his school’s jazz band and two local bands. Jake was also recently named to The Jewish Week’s “36 Under 36” 2009 list.

As for his future goals, Jake has plans for his new community. “As I will be attending the University of Pennsylvania in the fall, I hope to bring my organization with me to the Philadelphia community, where I plan on getting other students involved and turning the project into a community effort,” he says.

Jake’s guidance counselor, Kim Curran, says she can think of no one more deserving than Jake. “He’s a student an educator only gets once or twice in his or her career,” she says. “We can all learn a lot from Jake. Although Jake has had his own obstacles to overcome as a hearing-impaired person, he has never taken the easy way out; he faces his challenges and uses the experiences to make himself stronger and better.”

13. Julie Zauzmer, 18, Dresher, Pa.
“52 Ways to Change the World” was Julie’s podcast creation. In this weekly recording during 2008, Julie heavily researched and spoke about incorporating social action into everyday life. In the fall, she took a political slant to address the presidential election and encouraged listeners to get informed. Her podcasts have been downloaded more than 10,000 times. At the end of the year, she decided to turn her project into a book, which she’s currently working on with an agent.

So what does she hope other teens will gain from listening to her podcast and reading her upcoming book? “It’s been very rewarding to hear from listeners from California to Canada who informed me they have implemented one of the ideas in their own lives, such as donating old shoes or knitting scarves for soldiers or downloading a computer program that aids scientific research,” she says.

Lia Katz, director of Jewish service-learning at PANIM, a program in which Julie participated, says: “She took her idea and ran with it. She didn’t get discouraged by the fact that there was technology she needed to learn. The most inspiring thing to me about Julie’s accomplishments is her project’s ability to touch people all around the world.”

14. Michele Pinczuk, 15, Silver Spring, Md.
Michele has been adding publishing credits to her name since she was 13, not only becoming the first-ever regular teen contributor to JVibe, but also freelancing for several publications, including The New York Times. Michele has interviewed many cultural icons for JVibe, including esteemed photographer Annie Leibovitz. In May, Michele made a name for herself as a documentary filmmaker when her first short film, L’Chaim Israel, was shown at the prestigious Cannes International Film Festival in France. The film, which is a mix of archival footage and interviews with Holocaust survivors, was also screened at three festivals, including the 2009 Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival, where it won a new filmmaker’s award in March, and the Washington, D.C., Jewish Film Festival, where it won the student film contest in 2008.

As for her future, Michele already has her many goals aligned. “I truly want to bring joy and beauty to people’s lives through the liberal arts, especially filmmaking,” she says. “Currently, I’m eagerly waiting for my first book, The Unknown, to hit the streets, and I just started my own little company called Diamond Diztrict Films. I’m also in the process of writing a screenplay with some of my own original scores. And Freedom: What it Means to Teens is a documentary short I recently completed and hope to share soon in many film festivals across the country.”

Michele’s former teacher, Martha Silk, has learned a “tremendous lesson” from Michele. “Determination and hard work equal success,” she says. “When I met Michele [when she was] in fourth grade, she was suffering physically from her gastrointestinal disease and mentally from being a total non-reader. I had the privilege and honor of tutoring her in reading and eventually assisting her mother in home-schooling her. Michele has overcome her dyslexia and is now a writer. What more could a young person do for her community than prove that even with a diagnosis of severe learning disabilities you can still be very successful with incredible determination?”

15. Spencer Brodsky, 17, Potomac, Md.
After learning in Hebrew school about the genocide in Sudan and the lack of help for women and families, Spencer made a DVD about the life of his religious school’s assistant principal, the daughter of Holocaust survivors who was born in a displaced persons camp. He sold this unique DVD to raise enough money for 420 fuel-efficient stoves so families could safely cook their food. Spencer then created Stoves For Darfur and has since raised more than $130,000. When aid organizations were recently told to leave Sudan, Spencer changed his campaign to Stoves For Rwanda. His project was recently selected as one of five candidates by the Disney Friends for Change to receive $25,000 or $100,000, depending on the public’s vote.

When asked what inspired him to raise money for Stoves For Darfur, Spencer replies: “I saw similarities between the suffering that happened in the Holocaust many years ago and the suffering of the Darfurian people today. I read that fuel-efficient stoves would help women and families in Darfur, and that’s why I chose to have the DVD profits and donations go to this program.”

Ira Miller, Spencer’s youth director at Washington Hebrew Congregation, says he’s inspired by the incredible number of people whose lives have been changed because of Spencer. “A $30 stove doesn’t help a single person for a day or a week; it helps several families—many people—every single day of their lives,” he says. “Since his project has donated about 3,500 stoves and each stove helps at least six people, he’s personally helped well over 20,000 people!”

16. Spencer Tweedy, 13, Chicago, Ill.
Spencer has been playing the drums since he was 2. He started his first band at age 6 and now plays with the band Tully Monster. Dubbed a “boy genius” by Rolling Stone magazine, Spencer also writes several thought-provoking blogs that show writing talent beyond his years. He’s written about politics, music and social action, among other topics, one of which is called “All About Mitzvah.”

“One of my favorite things about blogging is inspiring people,” says Spencer. “I love to share what I make, whether it’s music, writing or even my amateur photography. It’s such a great feeling to know that people enjoy my work and that I can make other people feel good. As the cliché so eloquently states, it makes me feel all ‘fuzzy’ inside.”

Says family friend Ellen Gartland: “If someone can improve the world by having a blog, it might be Spencer. He has dedicated a lot of time to developing his site, and it’s become a tool for thoughtful, creative contributions. Spencer’s blog is read not just by family members and kids in his class, but also adults he doesn’t even know or fans of his father who may have stumbled upon it through the article about Spencer in Rolling Stone. Spencer demonstrates that kids today can be thoughtful, ambitious and literate. This serves as an inspiration for kids in search of something new or different to pursue, and it encourages adults that in the age of consumerism, sometimes art and imagination still win.”

17. Sydney Appelbaum, 18, New York, N.Y.
Sydney has proven to be a remarkable force in teen philanthropy. In the Guest Editor column in the September/October 2008 issue, JVibe spotlighted the Save Sderot club Sydney started at her high school after hearing about the devastating situation firsthand from Israeli teens during her summer at an international camp in Hungary. She decided to design a one-of-a-kind sterling silver necklace pendant in the shape of Israel with the Sderot imprint to sell to raise money. The $90,000 her club raised sent hundreds of kids in Sderot to summer camp in Jerusalem. Sydney is also a member of the JVibe Teen Advisory Board and has published numerous stories on JVibe.com and in JVibe.

When asked why raising money for Sderot is important to her, Sydney says: “In the summer of 2007, I had the opportunity to attend the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation/American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee International Summer Camp in Szarvas, Hungary. It was there that I met 40 kids from the small town of Sderot. Putting a face with a name keeps me motivated to raise money. I keep in touch with my friends from Sderot and continue to hear traumatizing stories. I feel that I’m helping my friends.”

18. Zachary Negroni, 16, San Diego, Calif.
Zachary founded School of Surf, where he and other young adults meet with at-risk homeless teens on a weekly basis to surf and bond. Zachary found the funding for this project, as well as enlisted donations from companies such as Quicksilver to provide the surfboards and wetsuits. His philosophy is that surfing can provide teens with a lifetime hobby that’s affordable, all while learning water safety, developing life skills and making friends. Zachary was recently named the NBC San Diego Inspirational Student of the Month. Zachary was also recently named a finalist in the 2009 Diller Teen Tikkun Olam Awards.

“School of Surf was started as a way for my friends and me to give back to the community in a meaningful way,” Zachary explains. “People always say, ‘Do what you love,’ and surfing is what I love. So I was able to share this passion with others by teaching them how to surf and sharing my love of the ocean.”

Micah Bray, activity and volunteer coordinator at Toussaint Academy of the Arts and Sciences, a group home serving homeless youth, says, “Zach has raised the awareness of the community and the morale of the teens at Toussaint Academy by giving them a positive, athletic outlet. School of Surf also allows our teens to be in nature in a healing and therapeutic environment.”

The JVibe editors are thrilled to share the 18 Under 18 list with the virtual world. They wish all recipients much luck with their future endeavors.