Built to Lead: The Class of 2026
Every year, buildOn seniors leave behind something more important than service hours.
They leave a legacy.
Across Boston, Bridgeport, the Bronx, Chicago, and Detroit, members of the Class of 2026 spent their high school years showing up for their communities. They packed food, planted trees, cleaned parks, helped out at shelters, mentored younger students, and discovered what it means to lead through service.
Now, as they prepare to take their next steps, they’re bringing those lessons with them.
What You’ll Find in This Story
- Students who turned service into leadership
- The impact buildOn had on their futures
- Why the next chapter looks bright for the Class of 2026
Showing Up Again and Again
For many students, their buildOn journey began with a simple decision to try something new.
In Detroit, Eric Burnett logged 195 hours of service while serving as president of his school’s buildOn chapter, balancing academics, athletics, clubs, and community service along the way. This year, he was honored with the Youth Citizen Service Award from the Rotary Club of Detroit in recognition of his dedication to service and civic engagement.
Eric’s impact is perhaps best captured by buildOn in Detroit staff member Brooke Ahles: “What makes Eric’s story especially remarkable is his resilience. As a foster youth, he has faced challenges that could have easily defined his path. Instead, Eric has written his own story, one built on perseverance, hard work, and an unwavering belief in his potential.”
Through every challenge, Eric remained focused on the opportunities ahead of him and the impact he could make on others. This fall, he will attend Wayne State University on scholarship to study Computer Science.
For Alaina Vasquez, who moved to Connecticut from Puerto Rico in 2024, that decision led to more than 330 service hours, a Trek to Malawi, and a leadership role helping buildOn in Bridgeport grow its impact. New students quickly learned that Alaina would always greet them with a smile and help them feel like they belonged.
In Boston, Youselande Charles balanced college coursework through her school’s Early College Program while volunteering with buildOn, serving as a Student Ambassador, participating in student government, and helping support her younger siblings. This fall, she will attend Harvard University as a first-generation college student.
Different cities. Different journeys. One common thread: a commitment to showing up.
Why Do Community Service?
Many seniors spoke about how service changed the way they see the world around them.
Dafé Adjarhor, a senior at Metropolitan Soundview High School in the Bronx, joined service projects while balancing college coursework and a full senior-year schedule. For him, service became a way to connect with people while helping his community.
“I’ve always liked to help other people in any way that I can,” he said. “The best way that I can help out is by helping in local communities.”
For Giovanny Reyes in Chicago, service changed his perspective entirely.
“I was never the type to help out people in my community,” he reflected. “But when I joined buildOn, that changed my life forever.”
His favorite memory was helping prepare warm meals during the winter, an experience that reinforced his belief that small acts of kindness can make a meaningful difference.
Across the country, students shared similar stories. Through service, they gained a deeper understanding of the challenges facing their communities and discovered that they had the ability to be part of the solution.
“I was never the type to help out people in my community. But when I joined buildOn, that changed my life forever.”
Giovanny Reyes, buildOn in Chicago Student
How Do You Learn to Lead?
Leadership looks different for every student.
For Kelly Luo Melling in Chicago, service helped her understand the kind of leadership qualities she had.
“Through service, I identified the type of leader I am,” she said. “I learned that I’m a different type of leader and in my own way.”
She also discovered a deeper appreciation for the diversity of Chicago by serving in neighborhoods throughout the city.
For Eric, leadership meant encouraging others, organizing projects, and leading his chapter by example. For Alaina, it meant building relationships and creating opportunities for new students to get involved. For Youselande, it meant balancing academics, service, family responsibilities, and community leadership.
Each student found their own path.
And each discovered that leadership begins with action.
Building Community
One lesson appeared again and again throughout these stories: service is about people.
Myess Hammouri, Bronx River High School’s valedictorian, completed more than 226 service hours during her time with buildOn and plans to continue volunteering at Hunter College, where she will start classes this fall.
“I definitely want to look for a volunteer program at Hunter where I can keep doing the things I was doing in buildOn since I deeply connected with it,” she said.
Natasha Vasquez, another Bronx senior, initially joined buildOn to complete graduation requirements. But after earning the hours she needed, she kept coming back.
“I still continued to do service because I enjoy coming out and helping my community along with spending time with my friends.”
And in Boston, Shawna Sweeting joined buildOn with only weeks left before graduation because she needed community service hours to walk across the stage.
After just two service projects, she found herself wishing she had joined sooner. What started as a requirement became a source of connection, purpose, and belonging.
The Legacy They Leave Behind and the Future Ahead
The Class of 2026 is heading in many different directions.
Students are preparing to study robotics, engineering, biology, psychology, computer science, mathematics, and education. Some are taking gap years. Others are preparing for college campuses across the country.
But wherever they go next, they carry something with them that can’t be measured by transcripts or test scores.
They carry the experience of serving alongside others. They carry the understanding that communities are strongest when people show up for one another. And they carry the belief that young people have the power to create change.
As Giovanny put it:
“Young people have the power to make a big difference.”
The Class of 2026 already has. Congratulations to our graduating seniors. We can’t wait to see what comes next.
If you want to help empower students like these in the class of 2026, consider making a tax-deductible donation to support buildOn’s work today.