Toyota Awards $150,000 in Grants to Mothers of Invention at Newsweek & The Daily Beast's Third Annual Women in the World Summit in New York

Aseneth Andrews, PrincipalFounder, The Catherine Ferguson Academy for Young WomenAndrews founded the school for young mothers more than 20 years ago as a revolutionary experiment in helping young women with children complete their secondary education and ultimately break the cycle of poverty that often besets one generation to the then and there.  The unparalleled school hosts on-site daycare facilities and features a working urban farm, with curricula connected to the farm as are nutrition and business classes since the school sells its produce at the local farmers market.   The Catherine Ferguson Academy boasts an impressive rate of 90% graduates, particularly impressive considering Principal Andrews does not allow students to graduate without first securing a place in college.

Talia LemanFounder, RandomKid.orgAt ten years old, Leman saw Hurricane Katrina devastate New Orleans and was moved to organize other kids in her hometown of Waukee, Iowa to start a Halloween trick-or-treat collection of coins for victims in the Gulf Coast.  The idea quickly caught on across the country and resulted in millions of dollars raised.   Leman, now 17 years old, went on to found RandomKid.org, a Web site where teenage social entrepreneurs connect with one another to "develop, manage and accomplish" their goals of helping others.  Using the site to raise money and organize efforts, 12 million children in 20 countries have taken on projects that range from building schools in Cambodia to constructing wells in Kenya.  Collectively having raised close to 11 million dollars through the site, Leman saw that for every dollar invested in a youth project there is a 200 to 1000 percent return on that investment.  Her most recent project is The Big Return, a program that has business leaders underwrite youth-led projects in U.S. communities.