United Nations Youth Achievement Recognition Award

SHARE founder Shannon McNamara, along with two other recipients from China and South Korea, were honored by the United Nations for "significant contributions to humanitarian goals" at the Youth Achievement Assembly on August 6, 2010 in New York City.  Shannon promoted youth involvement and helped spread awareness for SHARE to 600 delagates, from 25 countries, attending the conference held at the UN. "Teen's efforts to help girls in Africa put her in the global spotlight: Basking Ridge girl receives award at U.N.", Sunday Star Ledger, August 8, 2010

The YOUTH ASSEMBLY Youth Achievers' Recognition honors 16-18 years old high school students who have significantly contributed to a cause and shown leadership in community service projects, scientific research on sustainability, youth mobilization for an MDG (Millennium Development Goal) or other social development initiatives.

Press Release:  LOCAL TEEN TO BE HONORED AT U.N. -New Jersey Girl Recognized For Humanitarian Work

U.N HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK, NY, August 6 - Shannon McNamara, 17, of Basking Ridge, N.J. will receive the Outstanding Youth Achievers’ Recognition at the 7th Annual Youth Assembly at the United Nations. McNamara is being honored for her work to empower African girls through education. She is the founder of SHARE, Shannon’s After-school Reading Exchange (www.shareinafrica.org), a non-profit literacy program for girls in rural Tanzania.

McNamara is one of ten teens from around the world to receive this recognition. The ceremony will take place on Friday, August 6th, from 3:45 to 5:45 at U.N. Headquarters (Conference Room 1). Ambassador Lorenzo from the Permanent Mission of the Dominican Republic to the U.N. will present McNamara with the award.

The Annual Youth Assembly gathers hundreds of global youth leaders and involves them in the achievement of the U.N. Millennium Development Goals. This year’s assembly is taking place August 4th-6th at U.N. Headquarters in New York. The three-day event is organized by the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation.

SHARE renovates deteriorated classrooms, creates school libraries and after-school reading programs, and employs teachers. Shannon McNamara founded SHARE in 2008, when she was just 15. She wanted to help girls in Tanzania become literate, so they could lift themselves out of poverty. McNamara mobilized 800 teens to volunteer thousands of hours collecting and boxing 23,000 books which were shipped to Africa. She has traveled to Tanzania the last three summers to work with the girls and open more SHARE branches. SHARE’s motto: “Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.”

For more information, contact SHARE’s Public Relations Director, Diane Ashton (973-727-7830) or visit the website, www.shareinafrica.org.

RELATED LINKS:

http://www.faf.org/unyouthassembly/yaaward.htm

The United Nations honored significant contributions to humanitarian goals, especially those related to the 8 Millennium Development Goals. SHARE founder, Shannon McNamara and two other recipients were presented with this recognition at the Youth Achievement Address 0n August 6, 2010 at the UN.  The YOUTH ASSEMBLY Youth Achievers' Recognition honors 16-18 years old high school students who have significantly contributed to a cause and shown leadership in community service projects, scientific research on sustainability, youth mobilization for an MDG related issue or other social development initiatives. For online article: http://somersethills.injersey.com/2010/08/05/shannon-mcnamara-from-berna...