Young Adults Go for Gold in Capitol Hill Ceremony

Forty-nine nervous youths from 10 states, wearing what appeared to be 49 new suits and dresses, came to the podium one by one to receive Congressional Gold Awards, shake hands with a senator and a congressman, and--horrors!--utter some words of thanks into the microphone in front of a few hundred people on Capitol Hill.

The awards this week were for young adults aged 20 to 23 who have exhibited outstanding participation in a combination of activities: volunteerism, personal development and physical fitness.

Dignitaries on Hand

A host of dignitaries was there at various times: Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole (R-Kan.), Senate Minority Leader Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), House Minority Leader Robert Michel (R-Ill.), House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.), master of ceremonies Bill Kurtis, who arrived an hour late after taping the CBS Morning News in New York, and entertainer Cathy Lee Crosby, a member of the board of directors of the Congressional Awards.

Twenty-one-year-old Tony Washington of Illinois, who had put in more than 1,000 hours of volunteer work in the last three years, first thanked all the same people everyone else thanked: parents, counselors, teachers. Then he added, “Before the day is over, will somebody please introduce me to Cathy Lee Crosby?”

He was immediately introduced and Crosby rewarded him with a kiss. A few moments later, Paul Anderson of Minnesota told the audience, “I, too, would like to meet Cathy Lee Crosby,” and it seemed the dignified Cannon Caucus Room with its elaborate, towering ceilings was about to turn into a singles bar.

But not everyone spoke of meeting Crosby. Carmen Julia Guevara-Brignoni, a 20-year-old day-camp counselor from Chicago, told the audience, “I’m the first mother to receive the gold award and I’m happy to thank my husband for that.”

The crowd laughed.

“I’m a little nervous,” she quickly added.

Despite the jitters, it was a delightful afternoon for the honorees, who were treated to lunch afterward and various tours the next day.

Pilot Project

One of only three types of awards officially bestowed by Congress, the Congressional Awards were begun in 1979 as a pilot project to recognize the contributions of youth, and not all states are participating yet. Younger people are eligible for silver and bronze awards, which are awarded locally.

For the first time, there were gold medal recipients from California. Five youths from the Long Beach area traveled the longest distance to pick up their awards, which are gold medallions with the Capitol Dome on them, dangling from a red, white and blue ribbon necklace.

Lavyddya Anderson of Cal State Long Beach was the first Californian to receive the award.

In the last three years, the 21-year-old Anderson has spent 1,132 hours as a volunteer at Long Beach Memorial Hospital, visiting patients who had no visitors, running specimens to the lab and doing other chores. She also taught Sunday school and spent 1,450 hours at various jobs while attending school and walking or running two miles daily.

“You never do these things for recognition,” she said as her mother snapped pictures of her in rapid fire. “But the award is a good idea because it’s an inspiration for other people to do the same thing.”

Timothy Duenas, 23, moved back in with his family in Bellflower after graduating from Stanford. “I knew I wanted to be a counselor but I couldn’t find a job without an advanced degree,” said Duenas. “So I decided to volunteer.”

Youth Counselor

Duenas spent many of his 475 hours of volunteer work over the last three years counseling youth and participating in play therapy with abused children. During that time he spent 680 hours working part-time with a youth service agency and 608 hours in a running, walking and weight-training program.

Twenty-year-old Kathryn Elser of Cal State Long Beach participated in canned food and paper drives and school activities, along with cycling.

“It’s fun,” she said. “You grow inside and find out who you really are.”

Cynthia Tamminga, a 20-year-old from UCLA, spent most of her 1,153 volunteer hours as a counselor at an Easter Seals camp and a YMCA camp and a preschool teacher’s aide.

‘Awe-Inspiring’

“It was really awe-inspiring to see the monuments we’ve studied about,” said Tamminga. “I wish it was a little warmer.”

Twenty-two-year-old James Evans of UC Irvine volunteered 485 hours over the last three years at an adult day-care center while working part-time at a hardware store, attending school and supervising mountaineering activities of the Tribe of Tahquitz, a Boy Scout honor tribe.

“It takes a lot of scheduling,” said Evans. “But you just do it.”