The Wellesley Service League has announced the winner of the volunteer organization’s 2026 Centennial Youth Service Award. Congratulations to Wellesley High School senior Emily Burnham, whose dedication and selflessness in volunteer work performed in the local community stood out among the many applications received.
Stacy Braatz, immediate past president of the Wellesley Service League, presented the award last week during a ceremony at Wellesley High School. Here’s what she had to say about Emily’s many accomplishments:
The Wellesley Service League Centennial Youth Service Award recognizes a student who embodies the true spirit of service—someone who doesn’t just show up, but who gives deeply, creatively, and consistently. This year’s recipient is exactly that person.
For over five years Emily Burnham has volunteered with Immigrant Family Services in Mattapan, bringing STEM education to immigrant children who might otherwise never have access to it.
Emily didn’t simply volunteer her time. She researched and applied for grants—and won them—using the funds to design and build complete hands-on STEM curriculum programs from the ground up. Custom curriculums, including microscope kits and snap-circuit kits, volcano-building projects, recyclables experiments—all thoughtfully organized into binders and storage bins, and designed to be used by IFSI teachers for years to come.
Her supervisor at IFSI describes Emily as exceptionally organized, dependable, and thoughtful, noting that every lesson and project she implemented was carefully planned and executed with excellence. But perhaps most tellingly, she writes, “the children absolutely loved working with her. Emily has a natural ability to connect with students, spark their curiosity, and make learning both engaging and fun. She has watched the small children she first tutored grow into teenagers and she has trained IFSI staff to carry her programs forward. She has left something lasting.”
In addition to her volunteer work with IFSI, Emily applied for and won a grant for MetroWest Family Promise, creating handcrafted housewarming packages for families transitioning out of homelessness. She has also prepared meals at the Village Table for families experiencing food insecurity. And she has run sports clinics and cheered on athletes at the Special Olympics, serving as announcer, scorekeeper, and steadfast supporter.
Emily, you have given so much of yourself—your time, your creativity, your passion—to the people around you. Your dedication, leadership, and heart for service truly embody the spirit of this award.
The Wellesley Service League is proud and honored to present you with the 2026 Centennial Youth Service Award. Congratulations, Emily, and all the best to you as you head to University of Pennsylvania in the fall.
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