Congratulations to Congressional Award Recipient Tess Luman

Last month, I got to go to Washington, DC to receive the Congressional Award for Youth from Congress. It was a fantastic experience and one that many NSHSS members would be interested in doing.

The Congressional Award is Congress's award for young Americans, open to those age 14-23. To participate, you have to log hours in three areas; volunteer public service, personal development, and physical fitness. You also have to organize and lead an exploration/ expedition. 

For my award, I volunteered with the Humane Society, worked on theater goals for personal development, and dance goals for physical fitness. I made 2 expedition trips, one camping on the remote Cayo Costa Island in western Florida and the other exploring the Cape Fear River in North Carolina.

The Congressional Award gave me an incentive to focus on my goals, and made me more award of the importance of planning. I have learned that I can make an important contribution to my community and that with hard work and dedication I can take control of guiding my own future.