Press Release
Posted:
Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) presented Vallejo resident and high school student Alannah Elyse Ruiz with a Congressional Award Gold Medal. The medal is bestowed upon young Americans who complete at least 400 hours of community service, 200 hours of personal development and physical fitness activities, and a four-night educational expedition or excursion.
“Alannah is a shining example of the great deeds our youngest generation can accomplish,” said Thompson. “Earning the Congressional Award Gold Medal is not easy, but Alannah demonstrated great determination and sincerity throughout her journey. Her work with foster kids, her hours in local soup kitchens, and her mentorship at Kaiser Permanente’s Surgery Department have all been an inspiration to her peers—and to me. I am tremendously proud to present Alannah with this award.”
To earn her Gold Medal, Alannah:
- Completed 400 hours of volunteer public service as a teen mentor at Kaiser Permanente
- Tutored children and teens in foster care
- Volunteered at a soup kitchen in Solano County
- Spent 400 hours practicing and improving her volleyball skills
- Completed 200 hours of training for her first 5K run
- Planned and organized a weeklong cultural immersion trip to Aruba
For more information on the Congressional Award or to see how you can participate, visit: http://congressionalaward.org/.