The William S. Hart Union School District has announced that Andrew Kim, a senior at Valencia High School, has been awarded the Congressional Award Gold Medal, the highest honor presented to America’s youth by the U.S. Congress. The Congressional Award recognizes initiative, service and achievement in young people.

Kim demonstrated exceptional dedication to earn this prestigious honor. Gold Medal participants must complete at least 400 hours of voluntary public service, sharing their time and talent for the betterment of the community, 200 hours of personal development, which can include developing social and life skills as well as interests and 200 hours of physical fitness, spent in any way that improves their health and quality of life. Additionally, they must spend at least 5 days exploring a new environment or culture.

“Although this program definitely took the most time and energy for the past several years, I can’t say that I regret it at all,” said Kim. “The program’s requirements pushed me to explore new opportunities and grow in unexpected ways. A lot of my time was spent doing things I loved doing, such as playing instruments, volunteering at the hospital, talking with senior citizens, and biking. However, I also ended up having to take on surprising new challenges, such as planning out and executing a nearly week-long trip for my family and I. This program drove me to learn important lessons about responsibility, dedication, and flexibility. I learned responsibility with leadership positions, dedication with volunteering, and flexibility when the trip didn’t go as planned. But most importantly, this program also taught me the value of asking for help, as I couldn’t have been able to achieve my goal without the help of my parents. All in all, I’m thankful for everyone that helped me along the way of this memorable experience.”

Kim now joins a distinguished group of young leaders from across the country who have met the rigorous standards of the Gold Medal.

The Congressional Award is a non-competitive program available to all youth in the United States ages 14-24. Participants earn Bronze, Silver and Gold Congressional Award Certificates and Medals based on achieving their self-directed goals. Learn more at www.congressionalaward.org.