The Congressional Award

Behind the Lectern, a Confident Young Lady: Gold Medal Candidate Marissa Landon

Marissa Landon speaks at the 2011 Congressional Award Youth and Technology Dinner in Washington, DC. Marissa, who is currently pursuing her Congressional Award Gold Medal, centered many of her Personal Development hours around various social medias— a major mode of communication used by today’s world.

Behind the lectern, hopefully unseen to the distinguished audience out front, my knees were knocking, my palms were sweating, and my heart was racing. It was a big night, an important night, and one I had been waiting for. The Congressional Award Foundation Youth and Technology Dinner had arrived in full splendor, with delectable food, extraordinary people, and lovely music. I had to pull it together because I was the speaker and I wanted to share an important message. Even though I haven’t yet earned a Medal, I wanted to let everyone know what a difference the Congressional Award Program has made in my life.

The Congressional Award challenges youth to work in four specific program areas; Voluntary Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration. My focus that night was Personal Development. In pursuit of the Congressional Award Gold Medal I chose to become more social media savvy. I am a member of Mississippi’s Technology Team. The team travels around the state helping communities get onboard the social media bandwagon. We share the advantages of Twitter, Facebook, and other social media tools. We assist in putting together a plan and a process for incorporating social media. I love knowing I can make a difference and the Congressional Award has shown me I can be the catalyst for change in the community.

But that’s not all folks… the Congressional Award has opened other doors for me as well. I now look for new ways to give back, I have new friends and contacts, and I work harder at making healthy choices and getting exercise in my day. Oh, and that nerve-wracking speech… well, I got through it and I think the audience liked it. I know that I can face one of the greatest fears identified by many people, public speaking, and I can be a victor. Thanks! Congressional Award for helping make me the confident young lady I am today.

~Marissa Landon Gold Medal Candidate

At the same Time, but at their own Pace: 2012 Gold Medalists Mark and Kelly Widerschein

Kelly (right) and Mark (middle) worked through the Award program together, sharing ideas, tips and even an Advisor— Mrs. Charlene Ernst (left). However, each set their own challenging goals according to their skill and knowledge.

As twins who are completely different from each other, we found the Congressional Award Program to be the perfect challenge. It allows you to plan goals that match your unique interests.

We started on the road to the Gold Medal at about the same time but at our own pace and we each came up with activities and services that reflected our talents. We even kept track of our accomplishments differently. If you are about begin working toward a Congressional Award, here are some of the tips that worked for us.

Deciding what to do:

Kelly: The Program Book is the secret to success. There are lists of ideas for Voluntary Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and defines possibilities for both the Exploration and Expedition. One of the suggestions in this book is to group volunteer service hours using an “umbrella” goal or combining activities to meet one goal. My volunteer work at inner city schools, community centers, and at various city events worked best in this format.

Mark: Pick things you really like and expand on those areas. For instance, my interest in conservation and animals lead to my volunteer hours at the Ohio Wildlife Center and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. This volunteer work meant I needed to speak to groups, so I took classes and joined competitions to learn how to be a compelling public speaker for a personal development goal.

Keeping Track:

Kelly: Get a multiple year calendar, color code your goals, and make notes with each activity or planning day. The Congressional Award is not just about the number of hours but also the number of months dedicated to meeting a goal. The multi-year calendar helps with tracking and with planning ahead. I also kept a folder with details, brochures, newspaper clippings, and photos. This was a quick, simple way to keep track of my hours.

Mark: I tracked everything on charts I created for the Congressional Award on my computer. The charts had columns for each activity, number of months, hours, and notes. I also had an online photo file. Periodically, I would print the charts out to have my Validator sign to confirm hours and accomplishments. Now these charts and photos are like a diary of the past four years of my life.

Why take part in this program?

Kelly: Earning the Congressional Award Gold Medal is one of my proudest accomplishments. I improved my ability to define, track, and complete goals. Now I have a documented record of accomplishments and through this program my Advisor and Validators have become mentors. Best of all, my experiences in teaching, dance, and community events not only allowed me to make a difference in my community but provided me with a solid foundation of experiences and skills that will help me in college and in my career.

Mark: Meeting all of the requirements for the Gold Medal inspired me to accomplish more than I thought possible over the past years. I would have pursued many of these goals but this set the bar higher in my planning, timing, tracking, and reflecting on these accomplishments as I summed them up to apply for the Congressional Gold Medal. Being purposeful in life makes a big difference in accomplishing things. Saying, “Oh, I might try that some day” is completely different than planning, “I am going to take this class, start this week, interview next month” and so on. Pursuing the Congressional Gold Medal pushed me to accomplish more than I thought possible.

We hope you will take the steps to pursue one of the levels of the Congressional Award. The sense of accomplishment is well worth the effort.

Good luck!

~Kelly and Mark Widerschein
2012 Gold Medalists

Always There to Support Her: 2012 Gold Medalist Becky Page

2012 Gold Medalist Becky Page pauses for a picture
with her friend, Troy McClain.

This June, I will be one of the proudest parents in Washington DC. My daughter, who is 22 and has Down Syndrome, will be accepting the Congressional Award Gold Medal from Congress.

Due to the support that Becky has received from her Support Workers in the Consumer Directed Program, Becky has achieved all of the Certificates and Medals including the highest award, which is the Gold Medal.

Over several years, there have been many support workers who were willing and able to take her to volunteer at nursing homes, and pet shelters. Not all support workers were willing to go to these places. Some support workers took her to classes at the local community college, helped her practice piano and taught her to cook and others took her skiing and to karate classes. These support workers went above and beyond the call of duties many times to help her accomplish her goals.

One of the hardest parts of achieving this award is to keep good records and submit a well-organized record book. One of her support workers, who has been her friend for many years (another mom of a boy with Down syndrome), was willing to help Becky organize and submit her record book for her Silver and Gold medals.

I would like to thank all the support workers who made it possible for Becky to earn this award; Abigail Page, Toni Middlebrook, Nikki Wilson, Troy McClain, Deborah Havens, Katie and Molly Benson just to name a few. Yes, she did the work, but you were always there to support her. We are proud of all of you!

~Joyce Page
Mother of Becky Page, 2012 Congressional Award Gold Medalist

Becky completed activities in Voluntary Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness and Expedition/Exploration. While all were necessary to earn a Congressional Award, some activities were certainly “cooler” than others!

Consider Me a Role Model: 2012 Gold Medalist Darryl Edward Gray

I have always been interested in bettering my community and being engaged with service, that is why prior to participating in the Congressional Award I completed 500 hours of service, by volunteering in my community and working with several local and national political campaigns since I was 10 years old. When I enrolled in the Congressional Award program I started working towards the required 400 hours to get the Congressional Award Gold Medal.

I volunteered for the local community by visiting the homeless shelter, senior home, working at the American Red Cross, and in my church. I am a person with a disability and I want people to know that with hard work anyone can be successful. I have become more confident and interested in learning new things and helping people. During the summers I volunteered to work at the American Red Cross for people with disabilities. I volunteered at the American Red Cross of Northern Virginia and was selected to participate in the Virginia State Steering Committee, Self-Advocacy Mobilization, and Partnership for People with Disabilities, in Richmond, Virginia. In addition, I was selected to give a speech about my life, at The American Red Cross of Virginia State Convention, in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2009.

I graduated from Potomac High School in 2007 and worked at the Pentagon for one year after high school. I was accepted into the George Mason University in the Mason Life program for students with Intellectual Disabilities. I have served my community by letting people know and see that anything is possible for people with disabilities. I will graduate in May 2012. I also work part time at the Library of Congress, and hope to get a full time job there. My family is very proud of me and my accomplishments. My family and community consider me a role model. They know that anybody can be successful in life if they work hard with the right support. I have come a long way from being the boy who some people said would not do well in life because of my disability. I am very proud to be getting the Congressional Gold Medal this year. I hope to inspire other people with disabilities to participate in the program.

~Darryl Edward Gray
2012 Gold Medalist

Setting Goals: Words of Encouragement from the National Office

From time to time, we at the National Office will ‘blog’ about various portions of the program that can be a bit challenging. Whether you’re a current participant, a long-time Advisor, or someone new to the program, we hope you’ll find the following information helpful!

Perhaps the most unique part of the Congressional Award program is the fact that you set your own goals for each of the four program areas. Yes, you have your adult mentors and the Program Book to help guide you along the way, but outside of the program guidelines, it is entirely up to you to take the initiative in deciding how to earn your Award.

This is no mistake; Congress has designed the program so that you can get as much out of it as possible. By setting your own goals, you learn more about your interests, your limits (and how to surpass them!) and most importantly, you set a precedent for the rest of your life. As you continue on to your profession or higher education, you will have the skill and know-how to achieve the results you want— all because you know how to set goals. Goals are the secret to a successful future.

So here’s how to get started. After registering, you set your goals and have them approved by your Advisor and Validators. Your goals should demonstrate initiative and forethought. Think ahead— what would you like to accomplish?

It can help to ask the following questions while setting goals:

Is my goal…

…achievable? Try to plan ahead and set goals that are doable in the several months or years that you’ll be working toward your Award. “I will learn more about space by becoming and astronaut” may be a good life goal, but it’s probably not a realistic goal during your time in the Congressional Award program.

…challenging? While you should be sure to set achievable goals, be extra sure that your goals challenge you. Go ahead and push yourself—this is your chance to test your limits and explore your interests!

…worthwhile? Be sure that your goal offers a benefit of some kind to someone. If you and/or the people you’re serving aren’t getting anything out of your activity, it might be time to rethink your goal.

…measureable? Not everything can be measured in numbers, but your goal should provide some way for you to track your progress and improvement.

…fulfilling? Take some time to think about all that you will accomplish. Medalists who have gone before you will tell you, it’s a good feeling to look back and say “I did that!”

If your answer is ‘no’ to any of these questions, it’s time to re-think your goal. If the answer to is ‘yes’, then it’s time to get to work! You should write your goal in the Record Book and start working on your activities.

As you work toward your goals, sometimes it becomes apparent that a goal needs to be re-worked. The great part about setting your own goals is that you get to learn about yourself and what interests you, as an individual. If you need to drop, add or revise a goal, simply talk with your Advisor and Validator at any time, and begin working toward a revised goal. Simple as that! Don’t worry, the time you spent on your previous goal, prior to revision, can still be counted toward the total hours for that program area (assuming, of course, that the activity itself is still unchanged). On a related note, goals and activities can change for each level of the Award. Again, it’s entirely up to you!

One of the more common questions we receive is, “Can I set more than one goal in a program area?” And the answer is yes. For each level of the Award, you can set several goals in each program area. For Voluntary Public Service, you can set up to four different goals, for Personal Development and Physical Fitness you can set two each, and for Expedition/Exploration you can set one new goal per level. Just be sure that a new Record Book page is used for each goal (please make copies as needed!).

When setting goals, there may be some cases where several, similar activities fit the same goal. These activities can be recorded on the same record book sheet. This is called an “Umbrella Goal”. Here’s an example:

“I will provide a minimum of 200 hours of service activities under the direction of the Pleasantville Office for Volunteer Service.”

Umbrella Goals are useful when your activities have a clear, underlying connection or similarity that helps achieve your goal. Please note, however, that broad collections of unrelated Voluntary Public Service activities would not be acceptable. The following, for example, would not be an acceptable Umbrella Goal:

“I will help people by working at the nursing home on weekends, tutoring younger students after school on Tuesdays, picking up trash on my daily morning walk along the trail and also starting my own non-profit to provide clothing to those in need.”

While Umbrella Goals should be broad enough to include multiple activities, they should not be so overly-broad that they no longer hold a real value— remember: achievable, worthwhile, measureable, challenging and fulfilling. A good goal should be all of these.

For more information on goal-setting, please see page five of the Program Book, available here.

In 2011, approximately 1,500 young people earned a Congressional Award. Just think— each of those young people had the creativity to set their own goals and the drive to achieve them. If you or someone you know has the ability to do the same (and we know you do!!), click here!

~Don Stein
North Program Manager
The Congressional Award Foundation

Time, Perseverance and Patience: 2012 Gold Medal Candidate Mary Cate Muschett

Mrs. Mary Rodgers and Mary Cate Muschett. In addition to serving as an Advisor, Mrs. Rodgers also serves on the National Board of Directors for the Congressional Award Foundation. Mary Cate has recently finished her activities toward the Gold Medal, joining the ranks of the nearly 400 students who have pursued a Congressional Award under Mrs. Rodgers’ Advisorship.

After my final day of junior high school, I was taken to the senior high school to meet my extraordinary Congressional Award advisor, Mrs. Mary Rodgers. I had been involved with many service and athletic activities before, but when I saw the requirements for the Congressional Award, I was frightened, thinking there was no possibility of me ever completing them. At that time I did not realize this award was a journey. It takes time, perseverance and patience. And so I elected to begin this daunting task.

What appealed to me most about this challenge was the exploration component. I had never heard of an award which prompted youth to travel, and I was most excited to choose new places and plan my trips. On my trip to the Adirondacks and to Washington D.C., I encountered nature, historical surroundings, and new and interesting people which only furthered my development as a cultured young American as well as a Congressional Award participant.

I was one of the lucky recipients of the James and Eunice Doty/Congressional Award/People-to-People Scholarship, which enabled me to attend the recent 10th Anniversary Global Youth Forum held last November in Kansas City. This was an awesome experience for me since I got to interact with other teenage participants from all over the world. My roommate was a girl from Albania who spoke nearly perfect English. While there, we broke into groups for discussions and also completed a service project. I learned so much that by the time the forum ended, I easily understood why so many of the participants returned year after year.

My advisor, Mrs. Rodgers, has been an incredible role model for me. A few weeks ago we met as I turned in my Gold Record Book, which at last has been completed. For the opportunities she has shown me, and the successful path upon which she has guided me, I am eternally grateful.

For three years, I have volunteered at places such as orphanages and soup kitchens, completed personal development goals in gymnastics and flute classes, and sweated and smiled at every cheerleading practice and improved my swimming endurance. Although I’ve been doing these various things, I know that my desire to serve, stay athletically fit, develop personal skills, and travel the world is unwavering and will remain a facet of who I am forever. I can easily attest that the Congressional Award has been one of the most influential experiences of my life.

~Mary Cate Muschett
2012 Gold Medal Candidate

A Legacy of Volunteer Work: 2011 Bronze Medalist & AmeriCorps Member Michael Collins

The Congressional Award shares a national partnership with the
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) program.
Each year, hundreds of young Corps members earn a
Congressional Award through their AmeriCorps NCCC Service.

I participated in the Congressional Award through the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps. Upon entering the program, I was told that I was now part of a legacy of volunteer work. It was made clear to me, to wear my uniform everyday to wear the “A” was an honor, one honor I should respect and be proud of. At first, I had doubts about this sentiment, but what was really going on was I could not understand what was meant by it. That was until I was sent to work with the Red Cross due to the massive flooding along the Mississippi River.

In the first meeting I attended with my team at Headquarters, the head of the Red Cross operation expressed how excited she was to have an NCCC team on site. She had worked with NCCC before and knew the attitude we would be bring to the job. An attitude of getting things done no matter how small or large, no matter how difficult, and no matter how long. Her praise resulted in a roaring round of applause from the rest of the volunteers in the room. I remember feeling silly because I felt I had not done anything yet. But that is when it hit me. By pledging ten months of my life to this program and volunteer service, I had become a part of something much bigger than I had realized. The feeling was humbling. It was some months later, while at a completely separate project in my NCCC term, that I thought again of the words spoken about us at the Red Cross. My team was working hard to fulfill a task when our sponsor had to ask us to stop working so he could finally head home for the day. Without realizing it, my teammates and I had developed the attitude the woman from the red cross had attributed to us long before we knew what it meant. Before we were aware of it, she had known about the “A” and the people who accept the challenge of putting it on everyday.

The truth is in order to make your community and your country become a better place you cannot always be concerned about what you are doing. The beauty of this program is when I was having a bad day, allowing my frustrations to create the illusion that the job my team had been assigned was meaningless, there was no doubt a team somewhere else, working overtime as hard as they could in order to improve the lives of those around them. There are jobs that need to get done and it may seem like almost anyone holds the ability to do them. Yet, what participants in the Congressional Award Program and AmeriCorps come to learn, is that it takes a special talent to have the motivation and dedication to actually buckle down and get tasks done.

~Michael Collins
2011 Bronze Medalist and AmeriCorps NCCC Corps member

Michael (right), is congratulated by his
parents after earning his Bronze Medal.

Congressional Award Advisor and Maverick Foundation Co-Founder Bob Gullickson

Chief James Boylan and Fireman Chris Quin of the Fire Department of New York join (from left to right) Maverick Foundation founders Jim McGuire and Robert Gullickson in honoring their program’s scholarship recipients: 2011 Gold Medalist Joseph Plescia, 2012 Gold Medal Candidate Michelle De Tomaso, 2011 Bronze Medalist Victoria Vega, as well as Congressional Award participants Jessica Halter and Jordan Marino. Lauren Gullickson and Michael Byrne will soon register for the Congressional Award.

The Maverick Foundation was co-founded by Jim McGuire and Bob Gullickson in 2002 to honor the memory and legacy of two very special people, Lt. Joe Gullickson with the Fire Department of New York, who made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11, 2001, and Dan McGuire, who tragically lost his life in an automobile accident on September 1976. We decided to provide a scholarship to Moore Catholic High School, where Dan would have graduated from in 1977 and Joe did graduate from in 1982. We also wanted to do something more than provide a scholarship. We were not necessarily looking for the brightest kids with the highest grades or the all star athletes, but for special young adults who were willing to realize their full potential in all areas and had a passion for helping others and making a difference in their community. Once we were set on this idea, we began researching and developing a program tailor-made for our scholarship to capture the essence of personal development including academics and volunteer work. It was during this process that we discovered the Congressional Award Foundation. The program turned out to be the perfect complement to the scholarship.

The Congressional Award Foundation laid out specific requirements in the areas of Voluntary Public Service, Personal Development, and Physical Fitness, but was also general enough in each area that anybody who was determined to succeed could find a way to do so. For example, you could use yoga or dance for a Physical Fitness activity or art and music for Personal Development. We tell our kids to follow their hearts they will find a way to accomplish their goals. We liked the concept of benchmarks because it required each young person to plan and execute on a specific schedule. Lastly, we appreciated that their accomplishments could be recognized nationally in a presentation ceremony by their Member of Congress.

The Maverick Foundation provides high school scholarships to eighth graders who are then required to participate in The Congressional Award Foundation. They are required to apply for the Bronze Medal by December of their sophomore year, the Silver Medal by December of their junior year, and the Gold Medal by December of their senior year.

The Maverick Foundation has, through the efforts and dedication of our scholarship recipients, realized five Congressional Award Gold Medals in our first ten years. As they receive their medals and grow in the program, we see young adults become future leaders before our eyes. Their confidence grows in leaps and bounds. They reach out for opportunities rather than wait for them to come to them; they are not afraid of a challenge. Officials at Moore Catholic High School have told us how proud they are of the accomplishments of these kids and the work The Maverick Foundation does to promote The Congressional Award Foundation. We believe we have better prepared our kids to not only succeed in the world with full potential, but to continue their mission of helping others and making a difference in the community.

~Robert Gullickson
Congressional Award Advisor and co-founder of the Maverick Foundation

For more information on the Maverick Foundation, click here.

Young American Non-Profit Leader: Kaitlyn Chana

Kaitlyn Chana, 2010 Gold Medalist and Founder and President of Love Letter: Random Cards of Kindness

Having the honor of earning the Congressional Gold Medal is extremely rewarding. The Gold Nation Experience was full of wonderful memories that brought smiles, laughter, and pure happiness to my heart. Each visit to the different museums, touring the monuments, and learning about our rich history gave me more insight on why I’m extremely proud to be an American.

My non-profit organization, Love Letters: Random Cards of Kindness, Inc., was chosen as a service project for the other Gold Medalists to take part in during the Gold Nation Experience. Having the opportunity to share my ultimate passion for my national non-profit organization with these elite Gold Medalists was such an honor. Watching them build relationships with others while contributing from their hearts for children with life-threatening illnesses was a magical moment! Many of the medalists shared a personal story of how this activity touched them and I feel extremely fortunate they were able to join our Love Letters family.

On Wednesday, June 23, my heart was beating rapidly as the time neared for me to receive my Gold Medal from Congress. As we walked into the ceremony the cheers and flashes of cameras were surreal because family, friends, and government officials were celebrating outstanding teenagers for making a difference. Each one of us is unique and as the medals were placed around our necks you could see the excitement pour over our faces. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about other medalists accomplishments, learning how they overcame obstacles, and finding out about their ambitions.

Kaitlyn Chana, center, is presented with her Gold Medal by Congressman John Mica (FL07) and Vice Chairwoman of the CAF National Board of Directors Linda Mitchell.
As I wore the medal it navigated its way through my bloodstream and entered my heart with the message “the impossible is possible.”

I will always treasure the week through memories, pictures, and friendships.

~Kaitlyn Chana

America will be the better for it: Andrew F. Ortiz, CAF Board of Directors member

Andrew Ortiz speaks at the HOBY Awards Dinner. HOBY shares a national partnership with the Congressional Award.

The Congressional Award is a program that I have long admired, and truly love. I first learned about the Congressional Award program in 1987 when I was Senior Class President at Tempe Union High School in Tempe, Arizona. The program was highly recommended to me by our late Arizona Congressman Morris K. Udall, who served the Grand Canyon State with honor and distinction and ran for President of the United States in 1976.

I was very impressed with the substance of the Congressional Award, and intrigued by how it spoke to young people of America. It inspired and challenged them to become better leaders, stronger citizens, and more prolific community volunteers. These tenets were the ones I thought were essential to promoting the celebration of achievement and growth in our nation’s future leaders.

I did not start the Congressional Award program right away, but I always held it as a fervent personal goal to earn the achievement of a Congressional Award Gold Medal. I kept that goal kindled in my heart and mind as I entered Arizona State University as an undergraduate in 1987. In my Catholic Church Parish here in Tempe, I found a passionate advisor that worked with me to achieve my requirements in Voluntary Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration. Through the process of working towards my achievement of the Congressional Award Gold Medal, I was fortunate to achieve many personal milestones in my life. I rendered thousands of service hours to causes serving youth, seniors, animals, the environment, and education. I conducted a white water rafting trip and hike down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. I developed my basketball skills to the point where I won the Regional Championship of the Pepsi Hotshot Basketball Competition. In short, I matured as a leader and as a person. The Congressional Award program literally changed my life.

I received my Congressional Award Gold Medal in March of 1993, and I will always remember the thrill of events that led up to the Gold Award Ceremony that year. The Gold recipients were treated with such honor, as we visited the White House, the sacred monuments of Washington, DC, and George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate. We even received a tour of the FBI’s J. Edgar Hoover Building. All of this was a lovely preface to what was to be a truly magical moment… the actual Gold Medal Ceremony. I will always remember receiving my Gold Medal from Arizona Congressman Sam Coppersmith, and being flanked in a photo by Congressman Coppersmith and Senators John Danforth and Bob Dole. This photo, which has been framed with my Congressional Award Gold Medal still holds a place of honor in my office.

There are some poignant words in St. Luke’s Gospel that read that “Of those to whom much has been given, much shall be required.” My mother used to share this passage with me as a young boy, and it has become my mantra throughout my life. In 1999, I was selected by then Congressional Award National Director Jim Manning to represent the Congressional Award at an event in Ireland, where I met with colleagues from other National Youth Award Programs. This global celebration of youth leadership fueled my passion for the mission of the Congressional Award even more. I am now proud to be a member of the National Board of Directors for the Congressional Award Foundation and the current National President of the Gold Congressional Award Alumni Association. It is in these various capacities that I am able to give back to the Congressional Award Program and that I love more than ever.

Across this great nation, in urban centers as well as in rural communities, are young people that are doing great things. They do so not in the expectation of honors or awards. However, the Congressional Award program serves as a vital platform through which our nation’s youth can challenge themselves to aspire to a higher level of service, and a greater level of personal development and achievement. These are things we should be celebrating as a nation, and I certainly hope you will join us in doing so. America will be the better for it.

~Andrew F. Ortiz, J.D., M.P.A.
CAF Board of Directors Member