Last Saturday night, Hollywood celebrities decked out in their flashy suits and designers dresses for CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute 2009 at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles.
Three-time Grammy nominee Leona Lewis performed the song “Happy†from her sophomore album “Echo.â€
Big names such as Neil Patrick Harris, Kate Hudson, and Dwayne “The Rock†Johnson showed their full support to the real “stars†that night.
“There are so many awards shows every year for the Hollywood community that participating in something as effective as this makes those others feel inconsequential and provides perspective,†Neil Patrick Harris said.
The ceremony honored top 10 ordinary citizens all over the world for making a difference in the lives of other people. CNN viewers voted for their favorites from the 28 finalists, and the top ten heroes each received $25,000. The biggest winner of the night is 28-year-old Efren Penaflorida Jr. from the Philippines, who received a grant of $100,000 for being CNN’s Hero of the Year.
CNN Hero of the Year, Efren Penaflorida. Photo from Ako Mismo.
Penaflorida was recognized for his “pushcart classroomâ€â€”a program that educates poor children by bringing a pushcart of books to the slums. As a child, he chose school over the gang life and vowed to help other children choose the same path. His small idea grew into the 10,000-member Dynamic Teen Company, which has taught reading, writing, and hygiene to 1,500 kids so far.
To see which stars paid tribute to which heroes, watch the coverage on 9 p.m. EST Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Espanol. Also visit CNN’s website.
