PBteen, a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) portfolio of brands, announces the launch of Extraordinary Teens, a program that honors teens who are making a positive impact in the world. In February 2015, teens were invited to enter to become an Extraordinary Teen by sharing ways they are making a difference in their communities in significant ways, including providing backpacks to low income students or baseball hats to seriously ill children. Today, PBteen is pleased to reveal the inaugural group and recognize them for their excellence. Learn more about the Extraordinary Teens by following their stories at #pbteenextraordinaryteens.

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PBteen Extraordinary Teens (Photo: Business Wire)

PBteen Extraordinary Teens (Photo: Business Wire)

"We are inspired by the dedication and commitment these teens have shown to making a positive influence in their communities,” said Jill Larue-Rieser, Senior Vice President, PBteen. “PBteen is proud to celebrate these remarkable stories. We hope they empower others to make a difference in the world around them.”

PBteen invites teens to enter to become part of the next group by sharing their exceptional accomplishments on PBteen.com. Extraordinary acts can come in all shapes and sizes—some may be entrepreneurs, others might help protect the environment, volunteer in their community, help solve world issues, or care for the underprivileged or sick. Those selected will have the opportunity to be featured on PBteen’s website and social media channels, as well as be featured in our PBteen catalog and in PBteen stores nationwide.

Program Details:

  • See the Extraordinary Teens and read their stories at www.PBteen.com/ExtraordinaryTeens.
  • Explore PBteen’s blog, Stylehouse, which will highlight one Extraordinary Teen per week for twelve weeks.
  • Help us promote this empowering message with #pbteenextraordinaryteens.
  • Show us what makes you extraordinary by entering for a chance to be featured on PBteen. www.PBteen.com/ExtraordinaryTeens.

Extraordinary Teens:

  • Brittany Amano, 17, Honolulu, Hawaii: Brittany has founded two, nonprofits: Hawaii’s Future Isn’t Hungry and Teens Stopping Domestic Violence, helping to feed the hungry, promote literacy and provide mentorships to youth in low-income housing complexes and homeless shelters. With over 400 youth volunteers, Brittany’s nonprofits have positively impacted over 150,000 people.
  • Lulu Cerone, 16, Los Angeles, CA: Lulu founded LemonAID Warriors to turn social events into social change. Over the past five years, she and her army of youth volunteers have raised over $80,000 for various causes and provided clean water to almost 3,000 Africans.
  • Pooja Chandrashekar, 17, Potomac Falls, Virginia: Pooja founded ProjectCSGIRLS to help close the gender gap for women in the computer science industry by encouraging more girls to develop a passion for technology. She hosts the nation’s largest computer science competition for middle school girls and organizes workshops and mentorships around the country.
  • Victoria Coaxum, 17, Douglassville, Pennsylvania: Victoria cofounded Think Before You Type, Inc., an anti-cyberbullying and positive self-esteem nonprofit which inspires youth through celebrity interviews, speeches at student conferences and positive video messages.
  • Gabby Frost, 17, North Wales, PA: Gabby founded Buddy Project - a modern day pen pal system supporting teens on Twitter @ProjectBuddy. With over 105,000 people signed up to be paired with a buddy, her group helps teens across the globe through positivity and companionship, while reducing the stigma of mental illness, bullying, and negativity on social media.
  • Riley Gantt, 14, Sherman Oaks, CA: At age 10, Riley founded Rainbow Pack, a nonprofit to provide elementary school students from low-income families with homework supplies. Her group has since donated backpacks and homework supplies to over 5,500 underprivileged elementary school kids to help close the achievement gap.
  • Nicholas Lowinger, 17, Cranston, RI: Since its inception in 2010, Nicholas's Gotta Have Sole Foundation has donated brand-new footwear to over 38,500 infants, children and teens living in homeless shelters in 41 states throughout the U.S. He has expanded his program to include Gotta Have Sole clubs in 7 states, has mobilized over 3,700 volunteers nationwide, and has raised over $500,000 in monetary and footwear donations.
  • Zach Morgan, 10, Watson, LA: Zach’s nonprofit organization, Zach's Lidz For Kidz, coordinates hat drives across the U.S. for children battling illness. He has partnered with children's hospitals and cancer service organizations to donate hats to over 1,500 kids.
  • Andy Nguyen, 17, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Andy’s documentary film, “A Day in the Life of Widener Memorial,” shines light on the positive work of a therapeutic K-12 public school that exclusively serves students with disabilities.
  • Payton Pelaez, 10, San Francisco, CA: Payton, a pastry chef with his own homemade dessert business, Chez Pay, and a contestant on the FOOD NETWORK "Kids Baking Championship", donates 20% of his proceeds to charitable organizations.
  • Taylor Tinsley, 18, Detroit, Michigan: Taylor started the The Maria Joy Foundation which promotes youth literacy and child adoption awareness, plus raises funds for foster children in Southeast Michigan.
  • Samuel Ventura, 15, Virginia Beach, VA: Samuel co-founded the Jr. World Affairs Society with his twin brother, Jayden, with the mission to educate teens about worldwide affairs and issues and to inspire them to give back through mock debates, educational meetings and volunteer projects.

ABOUT PBTEEN

PBteen, a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands, launched in 2003 and is the first home retailer to focus exclusively on the teenage market. Designed to fully furnish bedrooms, study and lounge spaces for tweens and teens, PBteen provides fresh, fashionable options to appeal to varying teenage tastes. Categories include: bedding, window treatments, rugs, lighting, gear, decorative accessories, storage and organization solutions, and furniture including beanbag chairs. PBdorm, launched in 2010, is an exclusive collection that offers dorm furniture and essentials. This collection includes XL twin sheets, lighting, seating, storage bins and organization solutions, and other accessories designed to help teens turn their dorm room into their ultimate home away from home. PBteen products are available through direct mail catalogs, e-commerce site PBteen.com and at eighteen U.S. retail stores. PBteen currently offers international shipping to customers worldwide. PBteen has an active following on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, We Heart It, Wanelo, and its blog theStyleHouse. Additionally, PBdorm has a dedicated following on Instagram. PBteen is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

ABOUT WILLIAMS-SONOMA, INC.

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is a specialty retailer of high-quality products for the home. These products, representing eight distinct merchandise strategies – Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, West Elm, PBteen, Williams-Sonoma Home, Rejuvenation, and Mark and Graham – are marketed through e-commerce websites, direct mail catalogs and 603 stores. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. currently operates in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom, offers international shipping to customers worldwide, and has unaffiliated franchisees that operate stores in the Middle East and the Philippines.