LHWHS seniors Andrew Fruend and Vivian Marsters have earned the United States Congressional Award Gold Medal.
The Congressional Award is the highest honor bestowed upon a youth civilian through the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
It has bronze, silver, and gold achievement levels and is given to students who set goals and excel in four areas of individual growth: volunteer public service, personal development, physical fitness, and expedition/exploration.
Andrew and Vivian spent multiple years working toward their goals; in order to earn a Gold Medal, participants must complete at least 400 hours of volunteer service, 200 hours of personal development, 200 hours of physical fitness, and plan and execute a five-day immersion in an unfamiliar environment or culture.
Both students far surpassed those milestones to earn their Gold Medal.
Andrew’s expedition consisted of a visit to Los Angeles to explore film, television, and broadcast journalism.
Vivian learned the art of beekeeping as part of her experiences and now counts the activity as a hobby.
Both recipients are the second members of their family to earn a Gold Medal: Fruend’s brother Trey and Marsters’ brother Nathanial both received the award in 2019.
All Gold Medal recipients are scheduled to be recognized at the annual Gold Medal Ceremony in Washington, D.C. in summer 2021.
Participants can register for the award program when they turn 13 ½ years old and must complete their activities by their 24th birthday.
Once registered, participants work with an advisor to complete their goals and record progress.