CONGRESSIONAL AWARD GOLD MEDAL -Washington, D.C. Summer 2021.

Congratulations to Srikar Sadhu (only 4 students picked from NJ), an aspiring biomedical engineer and senior at Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School, has been approved for a Congressional Award Gold Medal. The Congressional Award seeks to challenge young people to pursue growth, education, and responsibility. In order to achieve the Gold Medal status, Sadhu had to complete hours in four categories: Voluntary Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition or Exploration. These hours have taken Sadhu over 2 years to complete, and his dedication has warranted his approval for the Gold Medal status of the Congressional Award.

Voluntary Service is a major category in the Congressional Award requirements, and Sadhu logged a minimum of 400 hours of volunteer work. Sadhu spent time in township libraries, showcased a project at the State House Annex for New Jersey Makers and the Association of Women in STEM, and spent time as a research intern at Rutgers Biomedical Lab. Notably, Sadhu also established a nonprofit organization called mWelfare, which distributes used books to underserved communities. Their mission is to increase the literacy rate in these communities. More information about the nonprofit can be found at mwelfare.org.

For the Personality Development category, Sadhu logged a minimum of 200 hours interning at several government departments. Sadhu interned at the US Department of State in the Bureau of Medical Services, as well as the US Department of Health and Human Services.

In the Physical Fitness category, Sadhu logged a minimum of 200 hours, which he spent playing badminton.

For the Expedition category, Sadhu went on a 4 night, 5 day trip to Spain in October 2018. During this expedition, Sadhu learned about Spanish heritage and culture, improved his Spanish speaking skills, and interacted with many of the locals, gleaning from their insights and experiences.

Congratulations to our 2021 Gold Medalists, who will be recognized at the annual Gold Medal Ceremony in Washington, D.C. in summer 2021.