Friends Academy junior Olivia Lichota was honored at the 36th Annual USTA Long Island Region awards ceremony for her community service work with the Boys & Girls Club in Glen Cove.
A member of the girls’ varsity tennis team at Friends Academy, Olivia raised $20,000 and handled all of the logistics to create Olivia's Youth Tennis Clinic, a four-week summer program that introduced tennis to children ages 8-12 who had never played the sport before.
During a recent celebration of Long Island tennis at The Sea Cliff Manor, Olivia received the Daniel Burgess, Sr. Community Service Award, which the United States Tennis Association gives annually to a recipient “whose dedication to serving the tennis community is outstanding and unique.”
Olivia, who is from Old Brookville, has been featured in local media for her community service work. She was profiled by the Long Island Press, News 12, the North Shore Leader, the Green Vale School, Long Island Tennis Magazine, and the Long Island Herald.
The tennis clinic was inspired by Olivia’s work in the Entrepreneurship and Social Innovators program at Friends Academy, which puts students in position to help businesses identify and solve real-world problems.
After completing the class, Oliva began developing the clinic and set a goal of raising $5,000 — only to end up quadrupling that number (enough to fund the camp last summer and next summer). She raised money through grassroots fundraising to cover the costs of coaching, racquets, court time, and bus transportation for kids from the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club to play at the Robbie Wagner Tournament Training Center in Glenwood Landing.
“When Olivia envisioned bringing tennis to our members, she didn’t stop at the idea; she made it happen,” Franca Trunzo, executive director of the Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club, told the Long Island Press. “Her leadership and generosity remind us that age is never a barrier to making a meaningful difference in the lives of others.”
For Olivia, it wasn’t just about putting ideas into action. It was also about being purpose-driven.
“The Social Innovators Program taught me that entrepreneurship isn’t just about starting a business,” she told Long Island Tennis Magazine. “It’s about finding a way to make a difference. Tennis has given me so much throughout my life, and I wanted every child to have the opportunity to experience the same joy, confidence, and friendships that the sport has given me.”