Senior Receives Congress' Highest Award for Youth

July 6, 2011

July 6, 2011, Greencastle, Ind. — Bryan A. Sable, who will be a senior at DePauw University this fall, has been presented the Congressional Award Gold Medal. Sable received the medal on June 23 in recognition of his community service efforts, environmental activism and personal development. (Sable is in the middle of the top photo; Congressman Robert Dold is seen at right)

The Congressional Award is the United States Congress' award for young Americans. It is non-partisan, voluntary, and non-competitive. Sable was one of 246 gold medal recipients honored this year.

"I want to congratulate Bryan for this important accomplishment," says U.S. Representative Robert J. Dold (R-Illinois). "His efforts to help struggling youth, his focus on physical fitness, and his expedition to save sea turtles in Costa Rica are impressive. His positive influence will go a long way towards inspiring his peers and encouraging others to go out into their local communities and make a difference."

An article in suburban Chicago's Pioneer newspaper notes, "Sable, now a senior at DePauw University, first heard of the program from his parents, who in turn learned of it from a friend. It intrigued him, he said last week, and he started working on his personal goals." Kathy Routliff reports, "Since 2003, he’s mentored troubled young people through the Haven program, and volunteered with such efforts as Special Olympics and the American Cancer Society’s 'Relay For Life.' The journey has even taken him to Costa Rica, where he helped research the lives of endangered sea turtles — and helped rescue a few from poachers."

"It’s nice to have a structure to what you’re doing, and a structure for eventually making the world a better place -- which I think is one of the major goals of the program," the DePauw student tells the newspaper. "People overestimate what they can accomplish in a day, but underestimate what they can accomplish in a lifetime. This is a way to help you realize those lifetime goals."

Access the full story at the newspaper's website. Also available is an announcement from the congressman's office.

Learn more about the Congressional Award by clicking here.

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