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GOING FOR GOLD
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Senator Thom Tillis, Board Member & US Representative (NC08) Richard Hudson, Chairman of the Board Paxton Baker, & National Director Erica Heyse pose with North Carolina Gold Medalists in the Cannon Caucus Room.
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On June 16, 2016, Members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives bestowed 325 youth from across the nation with the Congressional Award Gold Medal. Since the program's inception in 1979, this was the largest class of Gold Medalists to receive this honor.
The Gold Medal Ceremony took place in the Cannon Caucus Room. Over a thousand guests - including Members of Congress, families and friends, corporate sponsors, and partnering organizations - convened to celebrate the monumental achievements of this year's awardees.
Ailsa Chang, Congressional Correspondent for NPR and
Devin Dwyer, Contributing Correspondent and Coordinating Producer from ABC News emceed the presentation.
Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Congressional Award Board Member and U.S. Representative Richard Hudson, and Congresswoman Mia Love provided remarks. Members of the House and Senate presented the awards.
At the Gold Medal Recognition Dinner that evening,
radio host Tommy McFly of 94.7 Fresh FM served as the Master of Ceremonies. Lynda Carter, best known for her iconic role as Wonder Woman in the 1975 television series, graced the stage to invoke inspiring words of wisdom.
National Baseball Hall of Famer Mr. Cal Ripken, Jr. and actress/philanthropist America Ferrera were presented as this year's
Horizon Award honorees. The Inspiration
Award
was presented to Laura and Mike O'Connor, advisors in Utah that have truly worked to support and promote the program nationwide. Congressional Award Board Member, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, presented the awards on behalf of Congress.
This year's class of Gold Medalists contributed more than 153,000 hours of public service to their communities through the Congressional Award; an average of 464 hours per person.
The Congressional Award program continues to serve as a platform for Members of Congress to recognize citizenship and goal-setting in their young constituents.
The achievements of this year's Gold Medalists were also recognized by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in the
Congressional Record
. Photos from the events can be found here.
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HITTING THE LINKS FOR CHARITY
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The 22nd Annual Golf Classic was held on September 12th at the beautiful TPC Potomac at Avenel Farms. As a public-private partnership, the Congressional Award raises its own operating budget entirely through private sector donations. This tournament is a marquee event for the foundation to support the program yearly.
We'd like to thank our Congressional Co-Chairs, Senator Mike Enzi and Representative Clyburn for their leadership.
A special thanks also goes to those members of Congress who were able to join us - Representatives Sanford Bishop, Hank Johnson, Lacy Clay, Don Young (and his lovely wife, Anne), Gregg Harper, Billy Long, Cedric Richmond, Barry Loudermilk, Pete Augilar, Jeff Denham, Rick Allen, and Bill Johnson.
We also thank all of the Chiefs of Staff for coming out this year, as well as our sponsors.
Our lead sponsor was Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, represented by Board Member and Development Chair Kathy Didawick and her team. We'd also like to thank Edward Jones - Pregame Sponsor; Bridgestone Firestone - Golf Ball Sponsor; Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America - Beverage Sponsor; Nike - Apparel Sponsor; The Meltzer Group - Golf Tee Sponsor; G2 Secure Staff - Print Sponsor, represented by Board Member Kim Norman and her husband Dan; Johnson & Johnson, represented by Board Member Mark Reese; Novartis, represented by Board Member Jason Van Pelt; Lockheed Martin - Golf Cart/Corporate Sponsor; as well as all of our foursomes - T-Mobile, iHeartMedia, represented by Dan Dukes and our Board Member Dave Schiappa; PCMA, CSX, AARP, Abbott, AHIP, Alkermes, Altria, ATA, Celgene, Genentech, Merck and Shell.
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Congressional Award participants make an impact in their community every day. Take a look at the impressions they've made in the past year.
Learn more about promoting the program and recognizing young achievers in your district or state.
We've made informational resources about the program available in Spanish. Please use for promotion and clarification of guidelines.
Our partners at the Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN) have developed a resource to connect military families with the Congressional Award.
Download the newly redesigned program book, the one-stop-shop for all program related questions.
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We will be celebrating our 37th anniversary on November 16th! There is no better time to share this unique opportunity with your constituents.
Join us in creating posts on social media on this day with
#TheAwardTurns37
.
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Northern Region
Kirsten Gooden, Program Manager
gooden@congressionalaward.org
Southern Region
Derek Doyle, Senior Program Manager
doyle@congressionalaward.org
Western Region
Molly Geiser, Program Manager
geiser@congressionalaward.org
Contact us to request a meeting, materials, or updates on the program in your state and district at 6-0130.
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Congress established the Congressional Award in 1979 to recognize initiative, service, and achievement in young people. It began as a bipartisan effort in both the United States Senate and the House of Representatives. The original bill was sponsored by Senator Malcolm Wallop of Wyoming and the late Congressman James Howard of New Jersey. The enabling legislation (Public Law 96-114) established the Congressional Award as a private-public partnership, which receives all funding from the private sector. The legislation was originally signed into law by President Jimmy Carter. Presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama have each signed continuing legislation.
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The results are in! Here's a look at the best performers of the summer.
Most Registrations
Rep. Royce (CA39)
Rep. Walters (CA45)
Rep. Murphy (FL18)
Rep. Pittenger (NC09)
Rep. Lummis (WY00)
Most Awards Earned
Rep. Royce (CA39)
Rep. DeSaulnier (CA11)
Rep. Walters (CA45)
Rep. Comstock (VA10)
Rep. Wagner (MO02)
Largest Growth in Participants
Rep. Brady (PA01)
Rep. Gowdy (SC04)
Rep. Hensarling (TX05)
Rep. Stewart (UT02)
Rep. Poe (TX02)
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Hon. Johnny Isakson
U.S. Senator
Hon. Joe Manchin
U.S. Senator
Hon. Debbie Dingell
U.S. Representative
Hon. Richard Hudson
U.S. Representative
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America Ferrera
Actress/Philanthropist
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Baseball Hall of Famer
This award is presented to individuals from the private sector who have contributed to expanding opportunities for all Americans through their own personal contributions.
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The O'Connors
Eagle Mountain, Utah
Our Inspiration Award was presented to Laura and Mike O'Connor. Having earned medals themselves, the O'Connors continue their love for the program by shepherding hundreds of youth through the program every year.
Read more about our honorees with the
Gold Recognition Dinner Recap
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Follow our progress, engage with us, & connect your audience with the opportunity via social media.
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