Growth and Gratitude at the 2025 Teeny Awards

On February 2nd, TeenTix hosted the Teeny Awards, an afternoon celebrating the empowerment, growth, and contributions of teens in the local arts community. Education research organization foundry10 sponsored the awards for “20 under 20” exceptional teens, celebrating TeenTix’s work increasing arts access and encouraging youth participation in the greater Seattle area, and the event was hosted by the Seattle Colleges district. The honored teens ranged from theater techs and actors to editors, opera singers, and skateboarders. Each teen was nominated by one of TeenTix’s partner organizations, including 5th Avenue Theater, Villager Theater, the Vera Project, the National Nordic Museum, Skate Like a Girl, and many more!

Prior to the event, I was nervous because I didn’t know any of the award recipients well. When I entered Seattle Central College’s Broadway Performance Hall, the atmosphere was calm and inviting, but excitement bubbled beneath the surface. Before the ceremony, award recipients, mentors, family, and friends mingled, chatting and making crafts. Many wore eye-catching outfits that matched this year’s theme of pink and sparkles. My nervousness quickly vanished as a warm, supportive sense of community greeted me.

During the award ceremony, each recipient received a glittering pink, upcycled trophy and a 250-dollar reward. The small theater was filled with an enthusiastic crowd who clapped and cheered as each award was presented. Mentors from the nominating organizations gave heartfelt speeches, thanking the teens for their commitment to the arts. Then, each recipient gave a short speech, expressing their gratitude for the support of their families, mentors, and community.

Several mentors shared touching stories about first meeting their mentees and watching them grow through the years.  As each mentor spoke, clear themes emerged. Their speeches illustrated the values at the heart of Seattle’s youth arts community: personal growth, leadership, passion, kindness, and outreach to create accessible and inclusive opportunities for local youth.

Even though I didn’t know these teens personally, I admired and respected each one as their mentor described everything they had done to promote the arts and give back to their community. My feelings were reflected by Village Theater nominee Inara Sheldon. When asked about the other nominees, Sheldon told Newsroom interviewer Abby Bernstein that “hearing about the work they've done and the community they've fostered is something I hope I can strive to meet one day.”

In turn, many teens spoke of what an influential role the mentorship and welcoming environments of these organizations played in their personal development, love of the arts, and life trajectories. These stories made me realize the value of having a mentor to guide you as a young person learning to make your way in the arts. I hope these speeches inspired the adults and children in the audience as much as they inspired me, showing that regardless of your age and experience, you can have a vital role in the arts community as a student or a mentor.

Many award winners shared that in the past, when they felt disheartened about pursuing the arts, engaging in these youth programs helped revive their passion. Now, they can’t imagine where they would be without those experiences. Sheldon described her first ever audition, which was for a Village Theatre Kidstage Originals musical, saying, “I was so scared—I almost walked out of the building minutes before my audition! … I was sure they weren't going to cast me... but they did, and in a named role, too! Since then, I've done everything I can to immerse myself in theater.” As an aspiring author and art-lover myself, it was truly uplifting to hear these success stories. I was particularly thrilled to see a TeenTix Newsroom editor, Sylvia Jarman, recognized for her contributions to our program!

The Teeny Awards also showcased the talent of local teens. A poetic short film called “Growing” by NFFTY filmmaker Ka’miya Clark played after the first batch of awards. Gentle, cinematic scenes of swing sets and rippling water flowed by as Clark narrated her acceptance of the need to grow with time. Introspective, hopeful, and beautifully worded, it encapsulated the essence of the event: teens stepping into their own and realizing their true potential in the community and arts sphere.

Later, Youth Speaks Poet Addison Whited delivered a powerful spoken-word performance. Emotional and moving, Whited’s poem built on itself, becoming more intense with every line like a car barreling towards either something disastrous or something brilliant. Revolving around caution and cars as a metaphor for stepping outside the familiar, it also perfectly captured the event’s theme of self-empowerment and growth. Village Theater nominee Gisele Kendrick encouraged teens to take that step, saying, “Let your passion lead you. It may be scary stepping into a place where it seems everyone already knows everything and everybody, but the lovely thing about art is that the people doing it are incredibly welcoming and genuine: they want you there with them.”

All around, there was a feeling of mutual gratitude between the young artists and the organizations that had given them a platform to reach their communities. Speaking about Village Theater, Kendrick said, “Everyone is so kind and supportive, they really do feel like a family to me.” The mood was upbeat as the audience held up handmade signs and cheered loudly. Onstage, hugs were shared between mentors and teens.

Overall, the Teeny Awards was a heartwarming representation of the ways that teens can make a difference in their communities. The message that youth arts are about more than creativity resonated in every word spoken—they are also about growth, leadership, inclusivity, diversity, and community. The Teeny Awards encourages teens like Kendrick and Sheldon to follow their passions. Sheldon highlighted the importance of this recognition, saying, “I constantly question if I'm good enough to continue performing. But being given an award like this...because I'm helpful, kind, a leader, and leaving a lasting impact on my community- it reminds me that I'm valued, that I'm important.” The Teeny Awards shows teens that they are appreciated and inspires them to grow, and that is something to be grateful for.

Lead photo: Giselle Kendrick and Inara Sheldon accept their Teeny Awards. Photo by Jeremy Caney.

This article is sponsored by the education research organization foundry10 as an extension of their support for The 2025 Teeny Awards.

The 2025 Teeny Awards were generously hosted by Seattle Colleges at Seattle Central College's Broadway Performance Hall.

The TeenTix Press Corps promotes critical thinking, communication, and information literacy through criticism and journalism practice for teens. For more information about the Press Corps program see HERE.