WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today presented Congressional Award medals to seven students. The Congressional Award is Congress’s highest honor for youth.

To achieve a bronze, silver, or gold Congressional Award medal, each student sets goals for personal achievement in four areas: voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness, and expedition or exploration. Students are expected to work with parents, teachers, and other adult mentors to achieve their personal goals.

Students must complete at least 200, 400, or 800 hours of work for the bronze, silver, and gold levels of achievement, respectively.

The students are scheduled to travel to New York City, where they will present a play intended to help students combat bullying at several elementary schools.

Headquartered on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., the Congressional Awards were established by Congress in 1979 and are administered by a public-private partnership that raises its operating budget entirely from private-sector donations.

Award recipients at today’s ceremony included:

• Shelby Lindsey, Bronze Medalist, Shannon, Miss.
• Lane Mitchel, Gold Medalist, New Albany, Miss.
• Jackson Crist, Silver Medalist, New Albany, Miss.
• Taylor Noelle Fields, Silver Medalist, Aberdeen, Miss.
• T’ajahlon White, Silver Medalist, Shannon, Miss.
• Tashunti Trice, Silver Medalist, Shannon, Miss.
• Callie Shae Philips, Silver Medalist, Tupelo, Miss.

View more photos and video from today’s award presentation below.