LEWISTON – Twenty-five Lewiston youths, ages 12 to 18, will be honored at the 12th annual Lewiston Shining Stars Celebration at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 13.

All nominated youth will be recognized through a PowerPoint presentation, and 10 of them will be announced as the 2009 Lewiston Shining Stars. The event will be held at the Vineyard Christian School Auditorium, 9 Foss Road.

Mayor Laurent F. Gilbert Sr. will deliver a commendation address to the nominees, and University of Maine at Orono student Tucker Adams, a 2004 Shining Star, will share what being a Shining Star meant to him, as well as inspirational thoughts for the nominees.

Lewiston High School freshman Mackenzi Masselli, a 2007 Shining Star, will sing the National Anthem; Lewiston Community Relations Coordinator Dottie Perham-Whittier will serve as the MC; and 2009 Shining Star judge, Councilor Robert Reed, will share comments.

In addition to Reed and Perham-Whittier, two other individuals served as Star judges: Nick Knowlton of GSM Group and Director of Finance and Administration Gale Hart, United Way of Androscoggin County.

The Shining Star program is independent of the Lewiston school system, and all judging is based on the contents of each nomination entry.

City of Lewiston certificates will be given to each nominee, and gifts donated by area businesses will be presented to the 10 Shining Stars.

A drawing will be held, with one of the Shining Stars winning a new laptop and accessories.

Nominated this year are Jenny Bergeron, Madeline Blaisdell, Garrett Clark, Kelsey Cope-Norris, Kelsey Lynn Cote, Rachel Emond, Delan Fulgham, Stephanie Gagne, Chelsea Hebert, Chris Jacques, Holly Lavorgna, Dyandrea Labonte, Allison Lewandowski, Jared Benjamin Lussier, Tyler James Lussier, Amanda Martin, Kevin E. McArthur, Brendan McGinley-Tara, Rahma Odowa, Amber C. Ouellette, Sarah Patrie, Nicole M. Pelletier, Torey Anne Reny, Shobow Saban and Rebecca Spilecki.