Congratulations to The Academy for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering junior — Riya Jain — for winning the Congressional Award Gold Medal! The Congressional Award is an extremely high honor presented by The Congressional Award Joint Leadership Commission, and it is the highest award presented to civilian youth. The Congressional Award program is open to all youths from age 14 to 24, but the path to earning the award is far from straightforward. In particular, there are six levels of distinctions listed in order of increasing prominence: bronze certificate, silver certificate, gold certificate, bronze medal, silver medal, and gold medal. In order to earn the accolade, youths must achieve goals in four program areas: Voluntary Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration. For Riya Jain, she had quite an experience trying to accomplish her goals in all four program areas.

Fortunately for Riya, she had no trouble securing her volunteer requirements. In middle school, she participated as one of the few girls on the MathCounts team. Unfortunately, she described, “[w]hen I got to high school, the club was discontinued, and I was disheartened to hear that this wonderful opportunity for students to explore math was gone. I worked with administration to restart the club and become the coach. Now, I am able to share my passion with these students!” Over the course of her sophomore and part of her junior year, she was able to spend more than 400 hours contributing to her community. Not only was she able to grow as an individual, she was also able to inspire those around her to do the same. Nonetheless, Riya is far from a one-trick pony. In fact, on top of swimming as a part of the Morris Hills Girls Varsity Swim Team, she nailed her “Personal Development” goal by “improving [her] skills on the flute.” With every spare moment, she harnessed her instrumental skills through hours of dedicated practice. As for “Exploration,” she made “a trip to India to further explore the culture and traditions” of India. Her experience enabled her to connect with her cultural roots as well as appreciate Indian culture on a whole new level.

The Congressional Award was an absolute game-changer for Riya. Time after time, she had to confront logistical challenges such as cooperating with the administration and managing her time effectively. Despite the multitude of difficulties, she never bowed down to the hardships thrown in her path. In fact, she rose to the occasion and thrived in all its uncertainties. Riya pointed out how “it has challenged me, and instilled in me a deeper sense of responsibility and purpose. I’ve also been able to expand my perspectives, learn things from different people, and explore traditions and costumes.” Through the program, she was able to become a role model for youths around the nation and inspire others to become the best versions of themselves possible. While we might not all be as talented as Riya Jain, we are all capable of earning The Congressional Award through hard work and dedication. Maybe, as Riya once proclaimed, “just go for it!” With passion and willpower as guides, no one can possibly wander astray on their paths to personal improvement and growth. “Most importantly, when the going gets tough, never forget why you started in the first place!” Ultimately, each person will be able to achieve their dearest wishes by staying true to themselves and those around them.