Jacksonville-area students receive highest youth honor by U.S. Congress

Four Jacksonville-area high school students received the 2024 Congressional Gold Medal, the highest youth honor bestowed by the U.S. Congress.

Among 724 honorees are Luke Cooper of Fleming Island and Anjali Gusani, Ramsey McClure and Dhruv Pandya of Jacksonville. Medalists attended a recent summit in Washington, D.C., where they met with members of Congress and attended panel discussions, according to the nonprofit Congressional Award Foundation.

The summit "was a remarkable tribute to the extraordinary accomplishments" of the medalists, board chairman Paxton Baker said. "We’ve observed firsthand the dynamic impact of youth leadership and their consistent dedication to fostering positive change."

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To earn the Gold Medal, participants must complete at least 400 hours of public service, 200 hours of personal development, 200 hours of physical fitness and at least five days and four nights "exploring a new environment or culture," according to the foundation.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville-area students receive Congressional Gold Medals