COLGATE BRIGHT SMILES KIDS AWARDS ANNOUNCES SEVEN FINALISTS

National Award Winners to be Crowned During May 18^th Virtual Event
Hosted By Entertainer Doug E. Fresh

NEW YORK, May 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- They will sing, dance, and act their way into your hearts – young champions of optimism chosen by Colgate-Palmolive Company and Hip Hop Public Health as finalists for the 2022 Bright Smiles Kids Awards.

Presented by Bright Smiles, Bright Futures^®, Colgate's program centered on oral health education and overall health and well-being, the Bright Smiles Kids Awards invited teens, tweens, and elementary school children to unleash their optimism and creativity to inspire the kind of future we can all smile about. Young people enrolled in schools, clubs, and after-school programs from Yakima, WA, to New York City submitted videos that celebrated optimism and included songs, spoken word recitations, simulated newscasts, dances, and technology projects. Submissions were reviewed by an independent panel of judges assembled by Hip Hop Public Health. The 2022 Bright Smiles Kids Awards finalists include:

• Double Tree Elementary School from Southaven, Tennessee
• Dryden Street School from Westbury, New York
• Every Child Matters (ECM) Elementary School from Mt. Vernon, New York
• Fred R. Moore Academy (PS 133) from New York City, New York
• Thompson Scholars Foundation from Manchester, Kentucky
• Trevitt Elementary School from Columbus, Ohio
• West End Community Empowerment Project of Lexington, Inc. from Lexington, Kentucky

The first, second, and third-place national award winners will be determined by a live public vote and announced during the Bright Smiles Kids Awards virtual event on May 18, 2022, at noon (ET). Record producer and internationally acclaimed performer Doug E. Fresh will serve as the program's master of ceremonies. The first-place national award winner will receive $10,000 for their school or organization. Second- and third-place winners will be awarded $5,000 and $2,500. To view the awards program and vote for your favorite video, visit https://kidsawards.wishpondpages.com/vote2022/.

"There's an old saying, 'if you believe it, you can achieve it,'" said Dr. Gillian Barclay, Colgate's Vice President, Global Public Health and Scientific Affairs, announcing the finalists. "At Colgate, we believe that everyone deserves a brighter, healthier future. Encouraging young people to dream big dreams, seek solutions, and believe in their power to make a difference is our investment in a better tomorrow." 

About Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive Company is a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet. Focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition, we sell our products in more than 200 countries and territories under brands such as Colgate, Palmolive, elmex, hello, meridol, Sorriso, Tom's of Maine, EltaMD, Filorga, Irish Spring, PCA SKIN, Protex, Sanex, Softsoap, Speed Stick, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Soupline and Suavitel, as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet. We are recognized for our leadership and innovation in promoting sustainability and community wellbeing, including our achievements in decreasing plastic waste and promoting recyclability, saving water, conserving natural resources, and improving children's oral health through our Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program, which has reached more than 1.4 billion children since 1991. For more information about Colgate's global business and how we are building a future to smile about, visit www.colgatepalmolive.com. 

About Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures 
Established in 1991, Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures (BSBF) has reached more than 1.4 billion children in more than 100 countries across the world. The program strategically partners to reach underserved children and their families where they are born, live, work, learn, and play. BSBF continues to promote health equity, optimal health and well-being, and to lead global social impact efforts that empower children and families to achieve healthy and bright futures.

About Hip Hop Public Health
Hip Hop Public Health (HHPH) is an internationally recognized 501c3 that harnesses the transformative power of music, culture, and science to improve health literacy and promote health equity in communities of color. Founded by Dr. Olajide Williams of Columbia University, a world-renowned leader in community-based behavioral intervention research, and the legendary Doug E. Fresh, HHPH has a 15-year track record of creating culturally relevant science-based content using an evidence-based framework for health promotion and behavior change, the Multisensory Multilevel Health Education Model, and the Child-Mediated Health Communication framework that focuses on children as messengers for disease prevention and health promotion interventions with parents and caregivers. All of HHPH's 200+ educational resources are available to stream and download for free, removing access barriers for teaching, learning and health literacy. For more information visit hhph.org and follow @hhphorg on social media.

SOURCE Colgate-Palmolive Company