Christine Langford, a member of Immanuel Christian Reformed Church, Ripon, Calif., traveled to Washington, D.C., to receive a gold medal through the United States’ Congressional Award program.
“I had the privilege of attending Gold Nation Week with about 45 of the other medalists,” Langford said. “We did some of the normal tourist sights and enjoyed learning about our nation’s history. But the part I really enjoyed and will always remember is the ceremony itself and especially the Youth and Wellness Dinner.”
Langford, now a college student in Virginia, received her medal for reaching goals in the areas of volunteerism, personal development, physical fitness, and expedition/exploration.
Christine Langford received the congressional gold medal at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
She had previously earned bronze, silver, and gold certificates, and bronze and silver medals, so receiving the gold medal was the pinnacle of her work.
Langford logged more than 400 hours volunteering with People to People International and a local hospital, developed her piano skills, and improved her basketball skills to become her team’s top 3-point shooter during her last year in high school.
She achieved her expedition/exploration goal by traveling to Guatemala twice to teach women and children to read and write in Spanish.
“The Congressional Award program is more than just a program where you receive a material object and a pat on the back in the end,” she said. “It’s a program full of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, adventures, challenges, opportunities, and service that will shape you into a person that you never knew you could be.”
