Adelina Grotenhuis of Desert Mountain High School has been awarded The Congressional Award Silver Medal – the United States Congress’ highest honor for civilian youth.

According to a press release, this medal honors youth for their commitment to voluntary public service, as well as personal development and physical fitness. Through the Congressional Award, Congress urges young people to challenge themselves.

Any interested student, aged 14 through 24 years old, may participate in the Congressional Award by setting and achieving individually challenging goals in four program areas: voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness and expedition/exploration. 

To earn the Silver Medal, each participant must complete at least 200 hours of voluntary public service, 100 hours of personal development and 100 hours of physical fitness, spent in any way that improves their health and quality of life. 

The Congressional Award adapts to meet the needs of every participant as they set goals according to their own interests and level of abilities, the release stated.  The award is geared toward motivated, interested youth who set their own personally challenging goals and activities.  

Additionally, they must spend at least 3 days and 2 nights exploring a new environment or culture. Grotenhuis has been consistently working to achieve this award for over 12 months, the minimum time frame to earn the Silver Medal.

To earn the Congressional Award, Grotenhuis leads service events at her school, volunteers and fundraises for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, volunteers at a summer camp for the developmentally disabled, and serves the Scottsdale Public Library as vice president on the Teen Advisory Board. 

In addition, she is a lifeguard for the city of Scottsdale and is active in her school’s performing arts department, the release added. She is also a varsity cheerleader at Desert Mountain High School.