TIME Magazine names Colorado teen first-ever ‘Kid of the Year’

LONE TREE, Colo (KRDO) -- TIME Magazine selected a young Coloradan scientist and inventor as the first ever "Kid of the Year".

TIME Magazine partnered with Nickelodeon to name Gitanjali Rao, 15 of Lone Tree, as the "Kid of the Year" on Thursday.

Rao was selected from thousands of nominees after inventing a testing device that uses carbon nanotubes to detect lead contamination in water supplies.

In addition to that, she used science to tackle opioid addiction and cyber-bullying.

Her message to her peers is "don't try to fix every problem, just focus on one that excites you."

Rao is featured on the cover of TIME Magazine and was interviewed by Academy Award-winning actress Angelina Jolie.