Special Recognition
Next Generation Award
Honoring Long Island's young volunteers — the next generation of community leaders making a difference before the age of 30.
About the Award
The Next Generation Award was established in 2010 to recognize exceptional young volunteers who demonstrate extraordinary commitment to their communities. Recipients are nominated by community members and selected by the Hall of Fame's board of directors.
Selection Criteria
- Must be 30 years of age or younger at the time of nomination
- Demonstrated sustained commitment to volunteer service (minimum 2 years)
- Measurable positive impact on the Long Island community
- Leadership qualities and ability to inspire others to serve
- Nominated by a community member, organization, or educator
Past Recipients
These extraordinary young Long Islanders have shown that age is no barrier to making a lasting difference.
Alyssa Moreno
Age 22 · Class of 2010
Founded a peer mentorship program connecting 200 high school students with college mentors, achieving a 95% college enrollment rate among participants.
Tyler Washington
Age 19 · Class of 2011
Established three community gardens in food-desert neighborhoods, providing fresh produce to over 300 families and teaching urban agriculture to local youth.
Samantha Goldberg
Age 25 · Class of 2012
Recruited and trained 50 volunteer tutors while personally tutoring 12 adults to literacy, enabling them to obtain driver's licenses, employment, and citizenship.
Marcus Chen
Age 21 · Class of 2013
Organized 500 student volunteers for coastal cleanup and restoration projects, removing 15 tons of debris from Long Island beaches and waterways.
Brianna O'Sullivan
Age 28 · Class of 2014
Founded South Shore Animal Rescue, saving over 1,200 animals from euthanasia and establishing a foster network of 150 families across Nassau County.
Jordan Williams
Age 23 · Class of 2015
Created a free after-school STEM program serving 150 students annually, with 90% of participants going on to pursue STEM courses in high school.
Priya Patel
Age 20 · Class of 2016
Coordinated volunteer support for 45 refugee families resettling on Long Island, providing language assistance, job training, and community integration support.
Ethan Kowalski
Age 26 · Class of 2017
Founded a peer support network for young veterans transitioning to civilian life, connecting over 300 veterans with employment, housing, and mental health resources.
Destiny Johnson
Age 24 · Class of 2018
Established a community empowerment center offering free GED preparation, job skills training, and financial literacy workshops to over 400 residents annually.
Noah Bernstein
Age 18 · Class of 2019
Organized a student-led food drive network across 25 high schools, collecting over 100,000 pounds of food for Long Island food banks in a single school year.
Isabella Reyes
Age 27 · Class of 2021
Founded a youth mental health advocacy organization that trained 500 students in mental health first aid and successfully lobbied for expanded school counseling services.
Caleb Thompson
Age 22 · Class of 2022
Led a youth climate action coalition that secured commitments from 12 Long Island municipalities to transition to renewable energy and plant 10,000 trees by 2030.
Zoe Nakamura
Age 25 · Class of 2023
Created a mobile arts education program bringing free music, visual arts, and theater instruction to underserved communities, reaching 800 children in its first year.
Know a Young Volunteer Making a Difference?
Nominations for the Next Generation Award are open year-round. Help us recognize Long Island's rising volunteer leaders.