Orion Jean is making the world a kinder place thanks to his good deeds. In a press release, TIME , TIME for Kids, and Nickelodeon announced that the 11-year-old Texan has been named the 2021 TIME Kid of the Year. His good deeds reportedly began with his “Race to Kindness” initiative that began during the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I saw a lot of things were happening, people were losing their jobs and losing access to food and homes and all of these essential things,” Orion Jean said in an interview with Angelina Jolie for TIME. “And I knew right then that I wanted to do something to help, but the opportunity actually came around when my teacher suggested that I enter into a speech contest. And if I won the prize money that came with the contest, that means I could start a kindness initiative to help these people.”

Teen rapper and viral sensation Alaya “That Girl Lay Lay” High just secured the bag. In an Instagram post on Tuesday (June 16), High announced a deal with Nickelodeon to develop original multiplatform programming, music initiatives, and build cross-category consumer products, Deadline reports . “So so so soooooo excited to announce that I signed a deal with @nickelodeon and will be doing TV, Music and a bunch of other cool things with the #1 kid network to further my career,” she wrote. View this post on Instagram A post shared by That Girl Lay Lay (@thatgirllaylay) The Houston native has garnered millions of followers with her viral rap freestyles , which attracted a bevy of celebrity supporters, including Nicki Minaj and Nick Cannon. At age 11, Lay Lay became the youngest female rapper to sign a recording deal under her own imprint, Fresh Rebel Muzik/Empire, according to Deadline. Under the banner, she released her 2018 debut album “Tha Cheat Code,” — along with the deluxe album —...