Service at Immaculate Heart isn’t just something that is required; it’s a central part of who we are. Over the last year, our students served a total of twenty-eight thousand hours. On average, IHA’s young women serve double the number of hours required of them.

 

Miss Kerry Carroll’04, principal, welcomed the community to the 2023 Service Awards, reiterating the importance of service and our Catholic faith. "It is clear that the Catholic faith requires action, and that there is a true joy to be found in serving others," she said. "This idea might easily be dismissed, but I have yet to meet a student here who doesn’t light up when asked to describe her service experience. Despite your busy days, your challenging courses, your artistic endeavors, or your athletic commitments, you absolutely model the services and opportunity to grow in your faith and spread your love."

The President’s Volunteer Service Award was founded in 2003 by the United States President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation to recognize the important role of volunteers in America’s strength and national identity. This award honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action too. We honored fifty-four students for achieving the President’s Volunteer Service Award at the Bronze level (100-174 hours per year), eighteen at the Silver level (175-249 hours per year), and eleven at the Gold level (250 and more hours per year). Recipients received a pin, and a certificate signed by the President of the United States. Big congratulations to the top service hour earner, Ellie May White’24, who earned six hundred thirty-two total hours in the last year. Below is the listing of all President’s Volunteer Service Award recipients:

GOLD
Madison McKay’23
Summer Ann VanwWyckhouse’24
Emily Magee’24
Abigail Hoffman’24
Samantha Raia’24
Eileen Wynne’24
Catherine Goldstein’23
Gracyn Pisa’23
Marisa Arone’23 (398 hours)
Ariana Chen’23 (524 hours)
Ellie May White’24 (632 hours)

SILVER
Carson Bielen’24
Hannah Hart’24
Allison Lynch’23
Ella Crane’24
Melanie Niziol’23
Adrianna Uykan’24
Jillian McCoy’24
Orietta Pisciotta’25
Emily Jamroz’23
Kaitlyn LeSuer’24
Payton McIntyre’23
Caroline Joel’23
Tara Caputo’26
Isabella Ragone’26
Rachel Lyons’24
Hannah Sengul’24
Ava Previzi’24
Keira DeMicco’25

BRONZE
Darcy Moore’24
Isabella Pizzi’24
Sydney Schoen’24
Lily Schwedhelm’24
Rose Marie Shamoon’24
Kiera Stevenson’24
Olivia Toohey’23
Milana Indyk’24
Kristen Cali’23
Casey Urban’24
Karina Folwarski’24
Mary-Kathryn Sweeney’23
Gianna Sinocchi’24
Anna Gallucci’24
Ellie Kim’24
Lana Langevin’25
Megan Anderson’23
Natalie Deegan’24
Julianna Gruber’24
Dylann Kammen’25
Samantha Roberts’24
Avery Connors’25
Emerson Focht’25
Lauren Hroncich’24
Alia Ureta’24
Sydney Kearney’24
Victoria DelJuidice’25
Meghan Minogue’23
Gianna DiMeglio’24
Cassandra George’24
Johanna Murphy’23
Madison Venditti’25
Mina Cocca’24
Ryley Dargan’23
Kaitlyn Klaus’24
Sophie Morales’24
Michaela DeCastro’24
Angelina Fowler’24
Olivia Battifarano’24
Samantha Landolfi’23
Alexa Harding’25
Kathleen Reck’25
Sofia Giannella’24
Charlotte Farcy’23
Jessica Sundlin’23
Livia Iuliano’24
Casey Roberts’23
Antonina Randazzo’23
Whitney Murray’26
Isabella Galan’23
Madyson Ayers’24
Claire Donohoe’24
Lola Rose Projahn’25
Judith Mathew’23

During the Service Awards Assembly, Madison McKay’23, Christian Service Board service president, reflected on her journey at Immaculate Heart and what the Service Awards truly mean. "Today, we celebrate a culture of young women that have the gifts, talents, presence, grace, and, most importantly, the opportunity to change someone else’s life," she said. "The Service Awards are not about seeing who gets the most certificates, but about celebrating a community when 'loving the other' is the center point, where we are encouraged not just to be great students, great athletes, and great leaders, but humble servants who encounter the issues, problems, and sufferings in the world and seek solutions."

Congratulations are extended to the following students who were recognized with awards for service in a particular area or with specific populations.

Kathy Krey Sova’78 Breast Cancer Awareness & Research Award, presented by her IHA classmates and friends, Serena Bocchino’78 and Leslie Hille Simpson’78
Kahlia Content’23, Grace Coughlin’23, Alexa Grigaliunas’23, and Brookelyn Talmadge’23

IHA Award for Exceptional Service to their Parish Community
Isabella Rossi’23 and Carly FitzSimons’23

IHA Award for Exceptional Service to Individuals with Special Needs
Sydney Kearney’24

IHA Award for Exceptional Service to the Poor
Amanda Guanci’24 and Hannah Sengul’24

IHA Award for Exceptional Service to the Homeless
Madison McKay’23, Samantha Raia’24, Jessica Sundlin’23, and Mary-Kathryn Sweeney’23

IHA Award for Innovative Service
Cassandra George’24 

IHA Award for Exceptional Service to the Local Community
Hannah Hart’24

IHA Award for Exceptional Service to the IHA Community
Carolyn Sandt’23

IHA Spirit of Sisterhood Award for Kindness and Inclusivity
Brooke Rodriguez’25 and April Ramsey’23

Lynn Gansley Memorial Service Award
Sophia Rowell’23

The Spirit of Service Award is presented annually to one student per grade who demonstrates a dedication to helping others that is core to who she is as a person. Congratulations to this year’s recipients:

Class of 2026 - Tara Caputo’26 and Zoe DePhillips’26
Class of 2025 - Kathleen Reck’25 and Emma McElroy’25
Class of 2024 - Marisa Arone’24 and Samantha Raia’24
Class of 2023 - Kristen Cali’23 and Jessica Sundlin’23

The Servant Leadership Award, the largest service award given at IHA, is presented annually to a senior whose commitment to service has transformed the culture of IHA. Past winners include Riley Ypelaar’22, Kaylee McKay’21, Elizabeth Encke’20, Elizabeth Croci’20, Victoria Bertussi’19, Regina Garvey’19, Emily Ash’19, Tess Szydlik’18, and Isabella Somera’17. Congratulations to this year’s Servant Leadership Award recipient, Madison McKay’23.

The IHA community then viewed a video montage of service photos from the year and recipients and their families were invited to a celebratory reception afterward. Thank you to Mrs. Sarah Shutrop, director of formation, for continually leading our young women in their passion to serve. Congratulations to all of IHA’s generous, compassionate, and kind-hearted students!

Click here for the full photo album, courtesy of Tara Hopfenspirger and Danielle Parhizkaran (Mike Hamlett Photography).