The Congressional Award

This module introduces students to The Congressional Award, a national program that recognizes initiative, service, and achievement in four key areas: Voluntary Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration.

Students will learn the award’s structure (Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels), required time commitments, and strategies to plan and document their activities effectively.

Included is a Congressional Award Guide (attached) with step‑by‑step instructions, examples of qualifying activities, and best practices for maintaining records and meeting deadlines.

By the end of this module, students will:

Understand eligibility and award levels. Identify activities that align with each program area. Develop a clear, trackable plan to earn their first certificate or medal.

Disclaimer: Always refer to the official Congressional Award Program Book for the latest rules, eligibility, and hour requirements. This guide is an interpretation based on experience working with students; the Program Book takes precedence.

The Congressional Award is the U.S. Congress's award for young Americans. It is non-partisan, voluntary, and non-competitive. Participants earn Bronze, Silver, and Gold Certificates and Medals by achieving goals in four program areas:

1. Voluntary Public Service
2. Personal Development
3. Physical Fitness
4. Expedition/Exploration

The program is flexible — students choose their own activities and set their own goals under the guidance of an adult advisor and validator.

• Strong Resume Builder: Recognized by Congress and valued by selective universities.
• Long-Term Planning: Builds a track record of initiative, leadership, and service.
• STEM & Non-STEM Friendly: Activities can align with coding, science research, clinical volunteering, sports, music, and more.
• Customization: Students can integrate what they already do — volunteering, athletics, extracurricular projects.

• Must be 13½ years old to register
• Must complete goals before your 24th birthday
• You must register first (fee ~$25–35 depending on level)
• You cannot count hours completed before registration

All hours must be evenly distributed (no "over-stuffing" one category to skip another).

1. Voluntary Public Service

• Unpaid work that benefits others
• Examples: nonprofit work, peer tutoring, hospital volunteering, fundraising, STEM outreach
• Must be with a verified organization or through clear community impact
• Founding your own 501(c)(3) is an excellent pathway for direct-service hours

2. Personal Development

• Improving a skill or new knowledge
• Examples: coding, public speaking, chess, photography, reading challenging books
• Must show growth and measurable outcomes

3. Physical Fitness

• Developing fitness in a measurable way
• Examples: gym workouts, running, martial arts, dance, tennis
• Must involve a goal and measurable progress

4. Expedition/Exploration

• Expedition: outdoor, physically challenging (camping, hiking, backpacking)
• Exploration: travel, culture, language, interview locals
• Must be planned by the student with pre-set learning objectives

1. Create an account at congressionalaward.org
2. Register officially (pay the fee)
3. Set goals for each category
4. Identify an advisor (not a parent) and validators (one per activity)
5. Log hours and write reflections
6. Submit your Record Book for review at each level

• Start with Bronze Certificate goal requirements — start small, grow from there
• Use one activity in multiple categories only if outcomes are clearly different
• Don't use school hours (e.g., PE class doesn't count)
• Use Google Sheets to log weekly hours and progress
• Draft clear, measurable goals (SMART format)
• Ask a coach, mentor, or club leader to serve as validators

Can I count hours from before I registered? No. Register first; backdated logs don't count.

Who can be my advisor and validators? Must be 18+, not a parent/sibling/close relative, and able to vouch for your participation (teacher, coach, mentor).

Can I log the same activity in multiple categories? Not really — same type of activity is fine, but goals/outcomes must differ. One hour = one category.

Do I have to do four totally different activities? No. One interest can feed multiple categories if you set clear, separate goals (e.g., soccer for fitness, coaching soccer for service, becoming a referee for personal development).

How do I track hours? Detailed personal logs (Google Sheets) with dates, time spent, descriptions, and reflections. Validators reasonably confirm. Random audits at Silver/Gold.

How do I write a strong goal? SMART — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound.

Can I use school-based activities? Usually no — graded/required activities don't count. Optional clubs you lead can count if voluntary and goal-driven.

What counts as an Expedition or Exploration? Expedition = outdoor adventure with physical challenge. Exploration = cultural discovery with research/findings. Must be student-planned. The post-COVID Virtual Expedition is now the easiest way to meet this requirement.

Can I change my goals halfway through? Yes. Communicate with your advisor and update your record book.

Is the Gold Medal worth it? Bronze/Silver still show commitment. Gold gets you a Capitol Hill ceremony, signed by Congress, and demonstrates 2+ years of consistent work.

Do I need to submit all levels? No — you can jump straight to Gold, though many students submit along the way.

Can I include paid work or internships? Not for Voluntary Public Service. Personal Development only counts the self-growth aspect, not paid hours.