A college student and Abingdon native has received Congress' highest award for youth, the Congressional Award Gold Medal.
Jeremy Robiletta, 22, of Kyle Green Road, found out earlier this year he earned the medal, which is given to young people ages 14 to 23.
The program was developed by Congress to give young people the chance to set and achieve personally challenging goals that build character and foster community service, personal development and citizenship.
The award was presented to 245 young people nationwide during a ceremony June 23 on Capitol Hill.
Each winner had to complete at least 400 hours of voluntary public service, 200 hours of personal development activities, 200 hours of physical education and four consecutive days and nights of an exploration or expedition.
Robiletta said he learned of the award through a Boy Scouts website in 2005.
"I just thought it was really cool how the program stresses being a well-rounded person and I thought it would be something good to do," he said. "The cool thing about this award is it encourages people to get involved in community service."
At the time, he was a counselor-in-training with his Boy Scout troop and taught environmental science merit badge classes.
He also helped with an annual rummage sale for his community, took a variety of classes for merit badges and completed training to become an acolyte at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Abingdon.
Robiletta played lacrosse for Harford Technical High School for four years, and, for his exploration requirement, took part in a two-week hike at Philmont Boy Scout Reservation inNew Mexico.
He said the medal "wasn't like a motivating factor in terms of going out and picking activities to do, but it was like an encouraging factor for me. People appreciate when you go out and do good things and try to make yourself a better person."
Robiletta is in his last semester at Frostburg State University, where he is majoring in law and society, and is a member of the Delta Chi fraternity.