Philly Service Award

The Friends Select School's project, “Food for Friends,” partnered with Vetri Community Kitchen to prepare hearty meals for Philadelphians in need and delivered them to the Hub of Hope.

Let’s celebrate these remarkable students and their inspiring mission to !

Mariana Bracetti Academy Charter School's initiative, “Project P.A.W.S.” (Providing Assistance With Support), brought hope and comfort to the Frankford neighborhood by delivering essential care and comfort items to individuals and families in need. Their team assembled and distributed community care kits focused on women's and men's health, home essentials, first aid, clothing, and mental health. With 252 care kits donated, they helped more than 120 people!

We were thrilled to welcome Mariana Bracetti Academy Charter School to the this year and witness their inspiring efforts to !

The students at Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School’s project used their creativity to benefit local Kensington organizations and businesses. They redesigned a neighborhood juice bar's storefront, giving it a fresh, eye-catching look that reflects the community's spirit. They also produced a video series spotlighting community highlights like the Norris Square Neighborhood Project’s Colobo Afro-Latino Garden, the new mural at Susquehanna and Front Streets, and a guided tour of Kensington artist Vanessa Vega’s new exhibition and art space.

We love seeing these students use their talents for good to .

Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School’s project, “Next Step Philly,” created a practical course and a series of social media videos to help Cristo Rey students and young people across Philadelphia confidently build job experience and prepare for life after high school.

We are incredibly proud of the work Cristo Rey students did this year to .

This year has been amazing. We are so proud of all the hard work that the students and schools put in to . Your creativity, dedication, and passion for service have made a difference in our city!

Thank you to every school that took part in the this year. Your commitment inspires us. We are looking forward to an even bigger, better year ahead with an even greater impact.

Have a wonderful, safe, and relaxing summer. ☀️

Congratulations to Tom Raddi from Father Judge High School, the outstanding recipient of the Drexel University Impact Idea Awards!

In collaboration with Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship, this award honors Tom for submitting an innovative idea to improve the world through entrepreneurial thinking. Tom won a $1,000 prize and an additional $1,000 for his school to promote innovation and impact.

We were honored to celebrate our 2026 PSA Impact Award winners last week alongside Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. The mayor hosted this year's winning schools at the Mayor’s Reception Room at City Hall, where she shared a powerful, uplifting message encouraging students to keep driving change and pushing to .

As part of this special occasion, every student participant received an official commendation from the mayor recognizing their service and impact.

Thank you, Mayor Parker, for championing and investing in the young people who are shaping our city's future.

Congratulations to this year's Legacy Builders Award winners, who are creating lasting change and impact for years to come.

🥇 First place and $20,000 were awarded to Building 21 High School for their "Every Conversation Counts: Restorative Practices at Building 21 and Beyond" project, which provided a scalable resource guide helping schools move away from traditional disciplinary practices toward a community-first model. By equipping students and staff with the mindsets and skills to facilitate their own councils, they are building safer, more inclusive educational spaces across Philadelphia.

🥈 Vocatio Career Prep High School secured second place and $10,000 with their "We Grow What We Eat" project, a multigenerational, ethnically diverse initiative highlighting food insecurity in disadvantaged communities. Bringing people of different ages and backgrounds together to grow their own nutritious food puts ownership of a healthy lifestyle back into the community's hands. Creating a shared cookbook provides a legacy to pass down.
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🥉 In third place, Calvary Christian Academy earned $5,000 for "Calvary Christian On A Mission," creating a clean, green, safe place for "Life Turning Point of Philadelphia," a homeless shelter for women and their children. They provided equipment and manpower for the groundskeeper to complete outdoor cleaning, raking, and weeding for winter, and to continue maintenance by owning the needed equipment.

Check out these amazing projects and all the projects on our YouTube channel. The link is in the comments!

🎉 Congratulations to the winners of the Safer, Cleaner, Greener Awards! 🏆

🥇 First place and a $20,000 prize go to Esperanza Academy for their project “How Va**ng, W**d, and Ho**ah Threaten Teen Mental Health,” which raises awareness about the impact of substance use on youth well-being. Since November, students have researched the physical and emotional effects of va**ng, ma*****na, and ho**ah use. They explored the symptoms, underlying causes, and long-term consequences of these behaviors and presented this information to students at various events.

🥈 Girard College earned second place and a $10,000 prize with their project "Garnet Goes Green," a student-led initiative addressing food insecurity among Girard families and the Northern Philadelphia community. Through weekly snack distribution, student-grown produce, and community pop-up events, Girard College students provide fresh food while teaching sustainability and self-sufficiency. By combining direct service with education, their project has created immediate and long-term impact.

🥉 Third place and a $5,000 prize were awarded to Boys' Latin of Philadelphia Charter School for their "Enough" project. They raised awareness of gun violence prevention and partnered informally with the city of Philadelphia to mitigate this issue. Project participants lead community events focused on safe gun storage, violence prevention, and advocacy, mainly supporting youth in the city.

Check out these amazing projects and all the projects on our YouTube channel. The link in the comments!

🎉 Congratulations to the winners of the Community Partner Awards, celebrating schools that have worked with one or several community partners to make a substantial impact in their neighborhoods.

🥇 First place and a $20,000 prize were awarded to Murrell Dobbins CTE High School for their "Food For Every Table" Project, a multimedia campaign addressing food insecurity in North Philadelphia. Students created a centralized digital hub, www.food4everytable.com, to connect residents with essential resources. The initiative combines community outreach and storytelling that highlight real experiences, reduce stigma, and build awareness. These efforts create a sustainable platform supporting access, engagement, and long-term advocacy for food equity.

🥈 Mastery Charter Shoemaker Campus earned second place and a $10,000 prize with "Hope, Heal, Rise: A Regional Student Wellness Conference," a wellness event featuring art, yoga, plant, and animal therapy sessions led by professionals for young people from the school and community to elevate mental health awareness. Attendees enjoyed a catered lunch, a resource fair, breakout sessions, a student panel, and confidential one-on-one conversations with therapists in a safe, judgment-free space.

🥉 Third place and a $5,000 prize to celebrate Springside Chestnut Hill Academy's "Literacy Book Nook with the Water Tower Recreation Center." This project worked with students in the after-school program at the Water Tower Rec Center on homework help, reading, and arts-and-crafts projects. They refreshed their pullout room into a fully stocked book nook and arts space, so students have a quiet place to read, create art, and select books to take home.

Check out these amazing projects and all the projects on our YouTube channel. The link is in the comments!