HARTFORD–For the second year, Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Office of Higher Education Commissioner Timothy D. Larson today have announced the opening of the Serve Connecticut Community Impact Award.

The 2026-27 award recognizes Connecticut high school-aged youth for their volunteer service.

Students who complete at least 20 hours of service across four distinct projects between June 1, 2026, and April 15, 2027, will be recognized in May 2027.

To participate, students must register on Serve Connecticut’s InnerView Youth Service platform, which tracks service hours and compiles a digital service résumé that students can use to share their service and volunteer experience in college, scholarship, and job application processes.

In its inaugural year, 156 Connecticut youth representing 67 high schools across the state earned the award, serving an average of 85.3 volunteer hours per student. Collectively more than 15,000 service hours were recorded, representing nearly 3,400 unique service activities. A list of recipients was not available.

“These students logged more than 15,000 service hours toward nearly 3,400 unique service opportunities,” Gov. Lamont said in a press release. “What a testament this is to the impact our young residents have on their local communities. I hope these young leaders and others will continue to serve and to share their service activities on Serve Connecticut’s InnerView platform so that we can celebrate all their contributions next spring.”

Larson said through the initiative, the hope is to inspire more students to give back to their communities and develop a lifelong commitment to service.

Schools and club leaders can use the platform free of charge to recognize volunteers and organize group projects, while nonprofits can post volunteer opportunities.

Information on how to register is available here. The website also has a link to a Serve Connecticut 2026-2027 Community Impact Award Guide.