For 18 teens, no good deed goes unrewarded Nominations sought through May 9; MTV's Colie to present awards BY MARY ANNE ROSS Correspondent Colie Edison (above), formerly of East Brunswick and a cast member in MTV's "Real World: Denver," will present the Good Deed Awards, organized by Rabbi Aryeh Goodman (right), of the Chabad of East Brunswick. EAST BRUNSWICK - If it takes a village to raise a child, Rabbi Aryeh Goodman is certainly involving the whole village. Everyone from town officials and educators to corporations and even an MTV star have responded enthusiastically to the Chabad of East Brunswick rabbi's latest community program - The Good Deed Awards for New Jersey Teenagers 2008. East Brunswick native Colie Edison, from MTV's "RealWorld," along with U.S. Congressman Rush Holt and State Sen. Barbara Buono are expected to attend a VIP Gala Ceremony at the East Brunswick township courtroom onMay 29 to honor the recipients of awards. Rabbi Goodman came up with the idea as a way to reward young people who volunteer and encourage others to do so for their community. "Sometimes parents would say to me, 'How do I get my kids involved in community service?' and as a rabbi, I have to ask, 'How do I get parents to want to get their kids involved in community service?'" he said. The Good DeedAwards were created in response to those questions. "We want to reward and recognize students who are giving their time and talents to the community," Rabbi Goodman said of the program, which is open to students grades nine through 12 of all races, religions, and backgrounds. "We are encouraging youth leaders and teachers and anyone who works with kids to submit nominations." Thanks to the donations of local businesses and corporations, there will be 18 monetary awards. First prize is $1,000. There are two second prizes of $500 each; five third prizes of $250; five fourth prizes of $150; and five fifth prizes of $100. There are also 20 certificate awards of $25 each. An advisory board that includes East Brunswick Public Schools Superintendent Jo Ann Magistro and Coordinator of Community Relations and Programs Patricia LaDuca; the East Brunswick Youth Council's Mike Reisner and Karen Theer; Director of Public Safety Barry Roberson; and Fire Marshal Bill Johnson will select the winners. Edison, known toMTV viewers around the world simply as "Colie" from "Real World: Denver," will present the awards. Edison was a well-known personality on the show, whose premise is to have seven young adults live together for six months, while being filmed. The show is known for the conflicts, dramas and romances that develop among the cast. Edison, when asked if the person seen on the show was her true self, noted that what the audience sees is an edited version of what actually happened. "The show is heavily edited. Things are often taken out of context and out of chronological order. The producers can present things any way they want to," she said. Edison applied to be on the show by chance. She was a student at Tulane University in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina struck. "They moved us to Boston for a semester," she said.While there, she was walking down the street one day and saw a crowd of people filling out applications at a bar. "I thought they were applying for jobs at the pub, but someone told me it was an open casting call for 'Real World,' so I decided to apply," she said. Edison was featured on 'Real World: Denver,' which was the show's 18th season and was aired in 2006 and 2007. Ironically, the task MTV gave her group was to become counselors for teenagers who were impacted by Katrina. She was moved by the experience and feels a strong commitment to community service. "Because of my involvement on the show, I have been able to speak at 20 colleges about activism," she said. Edison currently lives in Manhattan and works for Estee Lauder on a temporary basis. She is hoping to go into broadcast journalism. She still has close ties to East Brunswick. "My family and friends still live in East Brunswick. It was a great place to grow up. It's a very kid-oriented town and I think it's very important for people to give back," she said. When Rabbi Goodman told her about the Good Deed Awards, she could not resist. Nomination forms and information about the Good Deeds Awards are available at www.gooddeedawards.com. Goodman said he is looking for "young people in New Jersey who have demonstrated an outstanding model of good deeds, kind- ness and leadership." Nominations must be submitted by May 9. Visit the site for more information or contact Rabbi Goodman at (732) 333- 3220.