Glen Rock High School junior Olivia Coppola has been recognized by the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) and InnerView with the prestigious National Community Service Impact Award, earning the Ambassador distinction for completing more than 100 hours of service during the 2025-26 school year. Olivia was formally presented with the award during the Glen Rock High School National Honor Society Induction Ceremony on June 11.
The Community Service Impact Awards recognize students across the country who demonstrate a sustained commitment to service while addressing local and global challenges aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This year, students nationwide collectively contributed more than 2.3 million hours of service, generating an estimated $78 million in community impact.
To earn the Ambassador Award, the program’s highest recognition level, Olivia completed 120+ hours of volunteer service between June 2025 and April 2026 through more than a dozen events and initiatives. Within the Glen Rock High School community, Olivia volunteers through the Students for Service Club, National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, and Girl Up. She has also dedicated her time to numerous community organizations, including St. Catharine Roman Catholic Church, Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey, the Glen Rock Dog Park, Jersey Cares, and the Borough of Glen Rock.
Her volunteer efforts have focused on supporting veterans, senior citizens, children, and families in need. Throughout the year, she created thank-you cards for veterans, assisted with Glen Rock's veterans appreciation events, volunteered at a senior dance, participated in the borough's Shoveling for Seniors program, and sent holiday cards to local nursing homes and senior residents. She also tutored younger students in math and helped assemble toiletry kits, fleece blankets, and donations for toy and baby wipe drives.
“I have been active in community service since I was five years old, and it has always been a consistent part of my life,” she said. “Having a recognition for community service at first felt awkward because acts of service aren’t done to be celebrated, rather to make an impact,” she said. “However, I hope to use this award to inspire others to take initiative to make a change in their community and understand they can make a lasting impact with many different causes.”
Olivia said she felt excited and honored to receive the award and appreciated the support she received from Glen Rock High School staff members throughout the process. “It meant a lot to know that my guidance counselor, Ms. Malone; principal, Ms. Giurlando; and NHS advisor, Ms. Unalp, were supportive of my efforts,” she said. “I am so excited that Ms. Unalp created a new NHS committee that I will chair next year to help involve more students in the UN’s mission of serving people around the world in many different areas.”
For Olivia, community service is rooted in strengthening connections and helping others succeed. “I’ve always felt it is important to share your talents and abilities by helping others grow and thrive while they otherwise couldn’t,” she said. “By actively participating in community service, I not only am able to help those less fortunate but also people who cannot accomplish certain goals they have on their own. I will continue to contribute to the development of our community that is committed to offering support for others with the same consistency and care guided by responsibility rather than reward.”
According to UNA-USA Managing Director Farah Salim Eck, the award celebrates students who are taking meaningful action to create positive change. “Students are supporting the Global Goals with heart, hard work, and a clear path forward,” Eck said. “Seeing young people step up reminds us that change is always possible.”
The Community Service Impact Awards are administered through a partnership between UNA-USA and InnerView, a national student engagement platform that helps students document and showcase their service, leadership, and real-world experiences. The three-tier award program recognizes students who complete 40, 60, or more than 100 hours of service during the school year, with Ambassador representing the highest level of achievement.