On May 2, 2024, Philadelphia Foundation President and CEO, Pedro A. Ramos joined business and nonprofit leaders, staff and board members for the Philly Service Award’s culminating ceremony.

The Philly Service Award is a city-wide high school competition focused on facilitating and supporting community service projects developed and implemented by students. It is an initiative to empower youth and highlight the transformative change they can bring to their neighborhoods.

The Philly Service Award supplies each participating school with a grant to fund, develop, and execute community service projects to improve the city. In addition to improving their communities, students’ projects are eligible to earn additional funding for their schools through an awards program. Participating faculty also benefit through a wish-list fulfillment program, earning up to $1,000 for non-project-related supplies to serve their classrooms.

This initiative drives more than 100 student-inspired and executed city-wide projects annually, bringing measurable improvements to the lives of Philadelphians.  More than 300 high school students and faculty from 62 participating schools attended the May event to celebrate the winners.

People’s Choice Award: Central High School for its inspiring project, “Revitalizing with Green.” Their efforts converted barren and hazardous lots into vibrant community gardens, addressing food insecurity and fostering safety.

Young Entrepreneurs Award: Kensington Health Sciences Academy for their “DreamEscape Library” project, which brought over 400 books to Kensington area students by way of their mobile library cart.

Judges’ Choice Award: Sankofa Freedom Academy’s Philly Literacy Mentor Project which empowers and prepares 8th and 9th-grade students, known as Literacy Mentors, to teach early elementary literacy lessons. By creating a specialized curriculum and training mentors across Philly schools, Sankofa is making a difference by improving early literacy.

Safer Philly Award: The Multicultural Academy Charter School‘s “MACS Community Service Club – Revitalizing Nicetown, North Philly” for its efforts in building a community garden, a free library, and executing a community-wide clean-up.

Legacy Builders Award: Imhotep Institute Charter High School for their transformative “Project Heshima,” which transforms plastic waste into sustainable solutions, educating scholars and engaging communities.

Community Partner Award: Kensington Creative & Performing Arts High School for their incredible project “The Beauty of Time”, which through a dynamic partnership with the Lutheran Settlement House saw students spend three months collaborating with seniors, documenting their rich experiences and cherished memories through photography and film.

Drexel University Impact Idea Award Recipients

• Jaida Jordan: Project Kujichagulia, Imhotep Institute Charter High School
• Matthew Castle: Your Mind Matters, Philadelphia Academy Charter High School
• Kadiatu Barrie: A Guided Walk and Bus Ride Towards Safety, George Washington High School

The Drexel University Impact Idea Award was a secondary individual competition in partnership with Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship where students submitted their big ideas on how we can improve our world through entrepreneurial thinking. These students were awarded a prize of $1,000 for themselves and $1,000 for their school.

Congratulations to all the schools and faculty who participated.

Learn more about the Philly Service Awards.