Youth Recognition Event Celebrates 2025-26 Accomplishments

3 days ago
3 min read

The 15th Annual Hands4Hope Youth Recognition Event, held June 25, 2026, was a time to honor and recognize the achievements of all of our Hands4Hope youth participants and honor our graduating seniors. Youth also presented their demonstration projects, providing an opportunity for all to learn about their service-learning experiences. And, in a meaningful moment, Hands4Hope Alumni Megan Smith and Taylor Smith presented the inaugural Yoko Kono Humanitarian Award.

Through the Hands4Hope Education and Community Engagement Programs, Hands4Hope Youth participants logged a total of 9,889 hours served during the 2025-26 program year. These hours result in positive change for 16,018 people and 161 animals in need.

“Throughout this school year, Hands4Hope youth made an incredible impact in our community. Together, they raised $53,246, along with $131,244 in donated goods and supplies. These accomplishments were made possible through the hard work of hundreds of volunteers participating in projects like our School Supplies Drive, Kids Zone, Winter Boutique, Empty Bowls, school club service projects, and many other outreach opportunities," said Carissa Pham, who served as the Youth Board Secretary. "They also helped provide 8,388 meals to individuals and families in need. These numbers represent more than just donations, they represent thousands of lives touched by Hands4Hope youth who chose to make a difference.”

Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference operates as a certified organization to qualify youth to receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA), a national program led by AmeriCorps to recognize the important role of volunteers in America’s strength and national identity. Hands4Hope youth participants qualify for the award by achieving the required number of hours of service over a 12-month time period. Although this program was put on pause by AmeriCorps as of May 27, 2025, Hands4Hope still celebrated the 24 youth present at the event who qualified for this prestigious award on an individual level.

Several Hands4Hope Club leadership teams also qualified for the group-level President’s Volunteer Service Award. These are awarded to groups who attain a certain number of hours together. The leadership teams and the awards recognized were:

Ponderosa High School Hands4Hope Club - Bronze (279 hours)
Jacob Wylie, Kalen Wylie, Nathan Ong, Keir Dinh, Nick Perata
El Dorado High School Hands4Hope Club - Bronze (351 hours) Lincoln Brewer, Manuel Hurtado Cueva, Olivia Beckett, Sophia Thomas, Kimberley Gonzalez
Union Mine High School Hands4Hope Club - Bronze (362 hours) Jillian Wolford, Lyndsey Hanks, Jasmine Naranjo, Aidan Hoskin
Oak Ridge High School Hands4Hope Inspire Club - Silver (563 hours)
Jillian Mao, Siena Maher, Avanti Ramamoorthy, Sudeep Mazumder
Oak Ridge High School Hands4Hope Empower Club - Silver (774 hours)
Carissa Pham, Danika Berera, Cassandra Conner, Jack Clarke, Amanda Chung

The Youth Board Executive Committee also qualified for Silver with a total of 897 hours.

The 2025-26 Youth Board Executive Committee was: Lily Hinkle, Carissa Pham, Adi Laufer, Jillian Mao, and Tania Thomas.

“[Hands4Hope] has taught me to see that there are areas that need help and that I can actually make a difference rather than just sitting around," said Jack Clarke, incoming Youth Board Treasurer. "Hands4Hope has helped me with my massive fear of public speaking and leading larger groups which I now have to do constantly within clubs or committees. Everyone in Hands4Hope is amazing to work with and I’ve met many new people and new friends that I never would have without Hands4Hope. I’m so excited to be this year’s youth board treasurer and hope to learn even more about how to become a better person and a better leader."

A poignant moment in the evening was the presentation of the inaugural Yoko Kono Humanitarian Award, which went to Lily Hinkle.