LONG BRANCH – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. presented Trevor Somers and Mollie Somers with Congressional Award medals on Friday.
The medals were given to the high school students, who are brother and sister, in recognition of the work they have done to better their community and the goals they have set for their own personal development.
The Congressional Award is the highest honor bestowed upon America’s youth. To earn the award, recipients must set and achieve goals in the four program areas: voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness, and expedition/exploration.
Mollie Somers, a student at The Peddie School, is this year’s silver medalist. In earning her Congressional Award Silver Medal, she volunteered 200 hours of service through Soccer Without Borders, through which she served as an ambassador for the program. Somers also ran the New Jersey Half Marathon and completed a bike trip from New Jersey to Washington, D.C., camping along the way and learning about the geography and history of the areas she traveled through.
Trevor Somers is this year’s bronze medalist. His is a student at Christian Brothers Academy. In earning his Congressional Award Bronze Medal, Trevor volunteered 100 hours of service through the Monmouth Beach Fire Company and helped with various disaster relief efforts in the aftermath of Super Storm Sandy. He also dedicated himself to decreasing his personal cross-country time on his home course and traveled to both Goat Island and Timber Island to explore and camp overnight.
“I’m very pleased to present Mollie and Trevor with these Congressional Medals today, and I commend them both for their extraordinary service to our community,” Pallone said.
“They are outstanding young adults, and I am confident that their proven abilities to set goals and achieve them will lead to bright futures. I hope that Mollie and Trevor’s service will inspire others to find ways to give back to the community as well.”
Established in 1979, the Congressional Award was created by Congress to promote and recognize achievement, initiative, and service in America’s youth. The non-competitive award is open to all young people ages 14 to 23. Medals are presented to all young people who meet the requirements, regardless of physical, mental or socioeconomic circumstances.
