18 FROM NOTRE DAME PREP EARN NATIONAL AND STATE AWARDS FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE IMPACT

Share this article with a friend.

May 20, 2025

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

The United Nations Association of the USA, the Michigan Community Service Commission and Kroger recognize youth leaders from around the country and state who are delivering progress toward community impact goals.

Notre Dame Preparatory School announced today that 18 upper school students have been recognized by the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) and InnerView in the eighth Annual Community Service Impact Awards. This program, which is open to all U.S. students, has been designed to connect student community service activities, skill development and commitment to the Global Goals to transform our world.

The Kroger Co. also is presenting the sixth annual Zero Hero Awards to students for taking action to help create communities free of hunger and waste and the Michigan Community Service Commission is recognizing outstanding youth volunteers addressing community needs. 

Alessa Atallah NDP'25, Erin Connelly NDP'25, Erin Delaney NDP'25, Ana Dimovski NDP'25, Sehaj Gill NDP'25, Isabelle Gumma NDP'25, Selena Kalasho NDP'25, Jack Karasek NDP'25, Amelia Kayi NDP'25, Michael Khouri NDP'25, Sami Khouri NDP'26, Daniel Kim NDP'27, Addie Mikel NDP'25, Samuel Phillips NDP'25, Joshua Powers NDP'27, Chloe Smith NDP'27, Augustin Villajuan NDP'26 and Finley Wise NDP'27 all received national and state awards this school year.

"At NDP, our students serve from the heart responding to their call to action by being people of mercy and compassion," said Della Lawrence, director of campus ministry at Notre Dame Prep. "The students earning these awards matched their gifts, interests and passions to serve the needs of others." 

Lawrence added that NDP's Ambassador Awardees, Erin Connelly and Alessa Atallah, each engaged in more than 150 hours of community service this year and received multiple national and state awards. 

"Between the two of them, the various projects included virtual English tutoring for displaced Ukrainian teens, hospital shifts, outreach to Hospice patients, blood drives, animal shelters, educational farm children's program, scout programming for the Islamic House of Wisdom, local church projects, Mackinac Island honor guard and outreach to the elderly," Lawrence said. "A big shoutout to all of the students earning awards this year. These students went above and beyond to live out their call to missionary discipleship." 

Rachel Bowen Pittman, executive director of the United Nations Association of the USA, said the Global Goals criteria provides a great framework for addressing the world’s most pressing challenges. 

"They also present a unique opportunity to work together to create a better future for everyone,” Pittman said. “Youth play a pivotal role in driving change forward, now more than ever. As an inter-generational movement of dedicated Americans, UNA-USA is committed to supporting the vital work of the United Nations and the Global Goals. We are thrilled to partner with InnerView again this year and celebrate the impact youth have made in advancing the Global Goals. Congratulations to Notre Dame Prep’s awardees for their dedication and inspired action!”

Andrew Guest, Notre Dame Prep's head of school, said he is proud of the service work the students accomplished during their high school careers.

"By the time students at Notre Dame Prep graduate from the upper school, they have a really good idea of what the school's mission statement is all about," he said. "The idea of service to others is one of the key components of that mission, and it is so well-integrated into the activities of students that by the time they graduate, it has become second nature.

"We take great pride in providing numerous outlets for our students to make an impact in our city, state and nation," Guest added. "These diverse co-curricular opportunities let our kids discover new interests, give back to the community and experience real leadership."

Michigan Community Service Commission Executive Director Ginna Holmes said she too is proud to recognize the efforts of the Michigan youth who chose to give their valuable time to help others.

"Today's youth truly understands the power of volunteering and the importance their actions have in strengthening communities," she said. "Their passion and strong desire to make an impact is inspiring.”

Schools with a collective student impact above 2,000 hours of service, the equivalent of a full time employee, are recognized with a School Impact Award. According to UNA-USA, students from Notre Dame Prep have invested 2,530+ hours in community needs, earning the Sapphire Award. Student volunteers from NDP also delivered the most impact for the issue of Good Health and Well-Being.

“Today’s high school students are stepping up in extraordinary ways to address the critical challenges facing our communities," said Kristine Sturgeon, CEO of InnerView Technologies. "This year’s awardees — part of a movement that contributed more than two million hours of time and talent — are not only passionate but also purposeful, using their skills to lead with empathy, innovation and impact. It’s an honor to champion these change-makers, celebrate their achievements, and help amplify their voices and service.”

A key artifact students gain through the Award Program is the development of a digital service resume for use in job and college applications to demonstrate personal commitment, 21st-century skills and key areas of interest. The three-tier award program recognizes a range of student achievement: Merit for 30 hours, Honor for 60 hours and Ambassador for 100 hours of service this school year and special recognition for a focus on Zero Hunger and Zero Waste. 

Notre Dame Prep students earned awards in the following areas:

Ambassador Awardees: Alessa Atallah, Erin Connelly

Honor Awardees: Erin Delaney, Sehaj Gill, Chloe Smith

Merit Awardees: Ana Dimovski, Isabelle Gumma, Selena Kalasho, Jack Karasek, Amelia Kayi, Michael Khouri, Sami Khouri, Addie Mikel, Samuel Phillips

Zero Hero Awardees: Michael Khouri, Sami Khouri, Daniel Kim, Addie Mikel, Joshua Powers, Augustin Villajuan, Finley Wise

Michigan Awardees: Alessa Atallah, Erin Connelly, Erin Delaney, Ana Dimovski, Sehaj Gill, Chloe Smith

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.