Distinguished Finalist

Emily Lites, 13, of Roanoke, Texas, a seventh-grader at John M. Tidwell Middle School, is the founder of "Emily's Smile Boxes," for which she has raised $40,000 and distributed more than 4,000 boxes filled with toys and games to hospitals across the country for pediatric patients and their siblings. Emily, who spent hours in the hospital when her infant brother suffered a stroke, has encouraged groups all over to host box-making parties and has just branched out to Canada.