Newhouse Honors Riverside Christian Graduate with Congressional Award Silver Medal

YAKIMA, WA – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) recognized a Riverside Christian School graduate, Cara Elzie, with a Congressional Award Silver Medal during a presentation at his Yakima district office. The Congressional Award is the highest award for youth presented by the United States Congress.

"I am honored to present the Congressional Award Silver Medal to Cara Elzie," said Rep. Newhouse. "I hope this award will serve as a reminder of the infinite possibilities ahead of Cara as she continues to pursue ways to better herself and her community, and I look forward to seeing what she does next. Judging by how much she’s already accomplished, it’s sure to be inspiring."

Background:

The Congressional Award is the United States Congress' award for young Americans, and the Congressional Award Foundation is Congress' only charity. The program is non-partisan, voluntary, and non-competitive. Young people may register when they turn 13 1/2 years old and must complete a certain number of minimum hours in the areas of voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness, and exploration/expedition. They must complete all requisite activities by their 24th birthday.

Today's recipient of the Congressional Award Silver Medal, Cara Elzie of Riverside Christian School, accomplished a great deal in all four areas:

• Voluntary Public Service: Cara spent over 420 hours with a 4-H group called Youth Advocates for Health (YA4-H). YA4-H engages with youth to teach the importance of healthy living. Cara has been a member of YA4-H since 2017, and has helped reach 1,539 young people in Yakima County through various events.
• Personal Development: Cara spent more than 300 hours learning about journalism through her work as a journalist and photographer for the Yakima Herald’s Unleashed program. She also spent over 750 hours improving her musical talents by practicing the guitar and piano.
• Physical Fitness: Cara spent over 450 hours achieving her personal fitness goals, with an emphasis on yoga.
• Exploration/Expedition: Cara completed 5 expeditions, traveling to Boston, Scotland, London, Spain, and Italy. In each location, she learned about history and immersed herself in different cultures.