LOS ANGELES (AP) — A man who embraced education for himself and other Filipinos as an escape from poverty is the CNN Hero of the Year.
Twenty-one-year-old Efren Penaflorida (EFF'-ren Pen-ya-flow-REE'-duh) was honored at a ceremony Saturday night in Los Angeles along with nine others chosen as CNN Heroes.
Penaflorida was introduced by Eva Mendes, among the many stars who took the stage to introduce the 10 honorees. Each of them received $25,000, with Penaflorida also receiving a $100,000 grant.
Other celebrities taking part in the ceremony were Neil Patrick Harris, Greg Kinnear and Pierce Brosnan.
The ceremony will air 9 p.m. EST Thanksgiving Day on CNN.
