The William S. Hart Union School District has announced that Arene Oh, a senior at Valencia High School, has been honored with the Congressional Award Gold Medal, the highest honor bestowed upon a young person by the U.S. Congress.

Oh is recognized for her dedication to voluntary public service, personal development and physical fitness, the core pillars of the Congressional Award program.

The award is a non-partisan, non-competitive program that challenges young people to set and achieve goals in four areas: Volunteer Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness and Expedition/Exploration. To earn the Gold Medal, recipients must complete at least 400 hours of Voluntary Public Service, 200 hours of Personal Development, 200 hours of Physical Fitness and a 4-night/5-day Expedition.

“My high school time outside of academics can be encapsulated in this award. From hundreds of hours volunteering at the library, befriending librarians and meeting people of all ages at community events, folding origami with patients at the hospital, family trips to new places and exploring new experiences, it’s allowed me to grow in various ways,” said Oh. “Working towards this award since freshman year has taught me tenacity and organization, not just in completing the hours but keeping myself organized. It’s allowed me to meet all kinds of people and put myself in settings I likely wouldn’t have otherwise. I highly recommend pursuing this award, even if not for the Gold Medal, because it’s truly what you make out of it. I’m grateful for my parents for supporting me through this process and everyone who helped me along the way.”

“The Hart District proudly extends its sincere congratulations to Arene Oh for her outstanding commitment and dedication, culminating in the achievement of the Congressional Award Gold Medal. This distinction places Arene among a highly select and distinguished group of young leaders nationwide who have successfully met the rigorous standards required for the Gold Medal<" said a Hart District spokesperson in a prepared statement. 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.