O’Connor Institute Ambassadors Civics & Debate Club - $500 Community Service Awards

High Schoolers: Join O'Connor Institute Ambassadors and Celebrate Your Community Service

Hear Different Perspectives | Join The Debate | Compete to Earn $500

The O'Connor Institute is recognizing high school students who are giving back. If you're already an O’Connor Institute Ambassador — or ready to join our free, extracurricular online club and become one — share your service story, and you could be one of 25 students selected to receive a $500 award this fall!

Join O'Connor Institute Ambassadors

Award Details:

  • Award amount: $500
  • Number of recipients: 25 students selected
  • Eligibility: Current O'Connor Institute Ambassadors in grades 9–12 (2026-27 school year)
  • Community Service timeframe: January 1, 2026 - October 16, 2026

Apply in three easy steps!

Step 1 — Be an O’Connor Institute Ambassador - Free and Online!

Not yet a member? Join the O'Connor Institute Ambassadors Online Civics & Debate Club before submitting your service story.

Step 2 — Share Your Community Service Story

Serve your community in any meaningful way — volunteering, organizing, advocating, or supporting a cause or organization that matters to you. Tell us how many hours and where you have served. What did you do? Who did you serve? What did you learn? Your story is what sets your submission apart. 

Step 3 — Celebrate Your Impact!

25 Ambassadors will be selected to receive a $500 award based on their service and the stories they share. Winners will be announced on November 2, 2026.

Three ambassadors pick up litter in a forest, using grabbers and a blue plastic bag. Surrounded by trees and scattered trash, they work together to protect and clean up the natural environment.
Share Your Story!
Two young men wearing gloves and light blue shirts pick up litter as ambassadors for the environment, smiling at the camera. Other volunteers are cleaning up in the background among trees and grass.

Are You Eligible?

To be considered for a Community Service Award, students must:

  • Be enrolled in grades 9–12 (2026-27 school year)
  • Be a registered member of the O'Connor Institute Ambassadors Online Civics & Debate Club
  • Complete community service hours between January 1, 2026, and October 16, 2026
  • Submit a service story describing your experience

Need ideas?

Consider the many places to lend a hand and volunteer:

  • Animal Shelter
  • Arts & Cultural Organizations
  • Faith-based Organizations
  • Food Bank
  • Hospitals
  • Local School
  • Political Campaign
  • Public Library
  • Senior Citizens Center
  • Sports Programs
  • Shelter Services
A person wearing a yellow safety vest and gloves lifts a large plastic garbage bag into an orange dumpster outdoors, with a brick wall, caution signs, and a banner for Community Service Awards in the background.

Want to become an Ambassador?

Join Here!

Questions:

For more information about the Community Service Awards or the Ambassadors program, visit the O'Connor Institute Ambassadors Online Civics & Debate Club or contact us at oa@oconnorinstitute.org.