LEWISTON – Twenty-one Lewiston youth ages 12 to 18 will be honored at the 11th annual Lewiston Shining Stars Celebration on Monday, May 19, and the public is welcome to attend.

During the evening, all nominated youth will be recognized through a PowerPoint presentation, and 10 of them will be announced as the 2008 Lewiston Shining Stars. The event will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at Lewiston City Hall, 27 Pine St.

Great Falls TV will be broadcasting the ceremony “live” on Time Warner Channel 22 and Oxford Networks Channel 3.

Mayor Laurent F. Gilbert Sr. will deliver a commendation address to the nominees, and Central Maine Community College student Nick Bouyea, a 2005 Shining Star, will share what being a Shining Star meant to him as well as inspirational thoughts for the nominees.

Lewiston High School junior Danielle Taylor will sing the National Anthem, Lewiston’s Community Relations Coordinator Dottie Perham-Whittier will serve as the evening’s MC, and 2008 Shining Star Judge Councilor Robert Reed will share his thoughts about young people today.

City of Lewiston certificates will be given to each nominee, and gifts donated by area businesses will be presented to the 10 2008 Shining Stars. In addition, an on-site random drawing will occur, with one of the 2008 Shining Stars winning a new computer system. The computer system/accessories are funded – for the sixth consecutive year – by Sisters of Charity Health System. The grand prize winning name will be drawn by SOCHS Director of Marketing Russ Donahue.

At the close of the evening, members of the Lewiston City Council are scheduled to participate in a receiving line to congratulate all 21 nominees.

Lewiston youth nominated this year are: Tanner Adams, Hanan Ahmed, Athena Andoniades, Tiffany Beaulieu, Michael Butler, Dayle Castonguay, Roland Chabot, Katherine Doyle, Maria Rose Labbe, Kristy-Mae Lacombe, Holly Lavorgna, Mackenzi Masselli, Brian J. McKeown, Hossain Naji, Zach Plourd, Cameron Poussard, Sydnie N. Racine, Hannah Rodrigue, Sarah M. Schlax, Liza Sirois and Alexandra C. White.

In addition to Reed, those who served as judges for this year’s 2008 Shining Star selection were Perham-Whittier; Nick Knowlton, owner of GSM Group; and Maureen Aube of the Chamber. The Shining Star program is independent of the Lewiston school system, and all judging is based solely on the contents of each nomination entry.