Lulu wins Nickelodeon HALO award and holds #UpForSchool Petition drive

Lulu Cerone knows young people are capable of achieving amazing things. At the age of just 10, she had a simple idea that raised $4000 for victims of the Haiti earthquake.

She gave a twist to the iconic image of the American lemonade stand, putting on a girls versus boys fundraiser called LemonAID Wars. It was such a success that she founded LemonAID Warriors to encourage other children to make social activism part of their life.

Fast forward five years and Lulu is now a multiple award-winning philanthropist and an A World at School Global Youth Ambassador. She started the 200Girls campaign to mobilise action for education, has helped to provide clean water for thousands of people in Uganda and has spoken at the United Nations.

But the 15-year-old from California was still thrilled by two events in the past month. She was named as one of five winners of this year国产视频檚 Nickelodeon Halo (Helping And Leading Others) Awards and she ran a drive at her school to get students to sign the #UpForSchool Petition.

The UpForSchool Petition drive at Lulu国产视频檚 LA school

Lulu said: 国产视频淣ickelodeon didn国产视频檛 tell me I had won. They told me they were flying me to New York to do promos for the awards show. When we arrived, there was a stage and a big audience 国产视频� it was a great surprise. We were up there with Nick Cannon and Jessie J. It was such a surreal and crazy day.国产视频�

The teenager will be going back to New York for the actual awards ceremony on November 15, which will honour teens making a difference in their communities. She added: 国产视频淚国产视频檓 looking forward to the experience. It国产视频檚 a great opportunity to get our name out there and get people involved with LemonAID Warriors and to change the way my generation thinks about community service.国产视频�

That spirit of helping was evident when Lulu collected signatures for the #UpForSchool Petition at her school in Los Angeles. The petition, hosted by A World at School, is being driven by young people and calls on world leaders to honour their promise that all children around the world would be in school by the end of 2015.

She said: 国产视频淢y friends and school community are super supportive 国产视频� they are always there to back me up. When we held the petition drive, everyone got involved.国产视频澛�

Lulu, second left, with Nick Cannon at Nickelodeon announcement

Lulu takes inspiration from her role as a Global Youth Ambassador. She said: 国产视频淚 think that when you国产视频檙e young you国产视频檙e full of raw ambitions and you have some of the best ideas. Young people are really stepping up these days and it国产视频檚 great to see that.国产视频�

She used our petition toolkit to set up the event and explained: 国产视频淎 World at School is an amazing source of information and a great way to share news and action ideas. Putting pressure on leaders is so important.国产视频�

LemonAID Warriors have become widely known for creating the PhilanthroParty idea 国产视频� helping young people to set up parties that raise money for good causes. So far they have raised more than $65,000.

Lulu国产视频檚 big passions are finding sustainable solutions to the water crisis in parts of Africa and helping girls国产视频� education there. She said: 国产视频淚n 2013 I travelled to Uganda to visit clean water projects on school campuses that LemonAID Warriors helps to fund. Some of the experiences of the people there resonated with me. The passion that I saw from the school kids was so incredible 国产视频� that国产视频檚 what sparked my passion for helping everyone to achieve a safe education.国产视频�

Lulu started the 200Girls campaign to raise awareness of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls in Nigeria and mobilised the 200Girls community to sign the #UpForSchool Petition.

With her work at LemonAID Warriors and her role as a Global Youth Ambassador, how does she find the time to fit it in with her schoolwork and still be a normal teenager?

Lulu 国产视频� who also sings and plays keyboards and drums in a band 国产视频� said: 国产视频淚 usually clear out my Sundays and use that time for A World at School and LemonAID Warriors. My mom is great and helps me with time management. It国产视频檚 become such a big part of my life but I国产视频檓 so used to it now.国产视频�

The schoolgirl plans to go to college but can国产视频檛 imagine giving up her activism. Lulu said: 国产视频淚 want to keep this a big part of my life. It国产视频檚 natural for me, as I have so many passions. I am constantly finding new things I want to do.国产视频�

You can read much more about Lulu and her amazing work with LemonAID Warriors at their website听补苍诲 Facebook page. You can also read more about the 200Girls campaign here.