Poplarville High School Students Honored with National Community Service Impact Awards Joining Students Nationwide Who Delivered 2.3 Million Hours of Service and $78M in Community Impact
Poplarville High School is proud to announce 7 students have been recognized by the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) and InnerView in the Eighth Annual Community Service Impact Awards. The Kroger Co. is presenting the seventh annual Zero Hero Awards to students for taking action to help create communities free of hunger and waste.
These students include 6 Merit Awardees: Addison Branton, Abby Cowart, Mary Jane Hall, Harley Holder, Cadence Owen, and Alonso Sanchez. PHS would also like to congratulate the Hero Awardees: Mary Jane Hall and Payge Holmes.
The Community Service Impact Awards program connects student service to real-world outcomes, skill development, and community needs. This year, students from Poplarville High School were part of a nationwide effort of high school change-makers who collectively invested more than 2.3 million hours of service, equivalent to $78 million in community impact, addressing critical local and global challenges. Through their efforts, students from Poplarville High School made meaningful contributions to Good Health & Well-Being, demonstrating how local action drives global progress.
“This recognition reflects more than participation, it represents the time, care, and commitment these students are putting into causes that matter to them,” says Kristine Sturgeon, CEO of InnerView. “It’s an honor to support and amplify their work. They’re not only creating impact today, they’re building the skills and confidence that will shape how they lead and contribute for the rest of their lives.”
On a more local level, the praise of these students continues.
“Our students go above and beyond for the community,” says Nicole Aube, Sponsor of PHS National Honor Society. “They pour so much of themselves into everything they do when it comes to supporting our town and school. From organizing a Read Across America event at PLE to hosting an Easter egg hunt for our self-contained students, everything NHS members do is done with so much love for Poplarville.”
Brandon Bark, Sponsor of Student Council, shares this sentiment. “I’m incredibly proud of our Student Council members for their dedication and the impact they’ve made in our community through their service this year,” Bark says. “They truly are the most selfless and inspiring group of students in our school. They fill me with high hopes for the future.”
In regard to the awards, the three-tier award program recognizes levels of sustained impact: Merit (40 hours), Honor (60 hours), and Ambassador (100+ hours) of service during the school year, along with special recognition for efforts addressing Zero Hunger and Zero Waste. Beyond recognition, students gain a digital service impact resume to showcase their impact, skills, and commitments for college and career opportunities.
Again, congratulations, students, on your hard work and dedication to Poplarville!
