A mission that consumed three years of Jishnu Kalaivan’s life came to an end in June—— and the final stop was in Washington, D.C.
Jishnu, who will enter his senior year at Bridgewater-Raritan High School in September, attended a prestigious ceremony during his visit to Washington, D.C., June 8-10, where he received the Congressional Award Gold Medal.
According to the Congressional Award website, each year, recipients of The Congressional Award Gold Medal—the U.S. Congress’s highest honor for youth—are celebrated at an annual event in the nation’s capital. Members of the U.S. Congress, public and private partners, and industry and civic leaders recognize Gold Medalists before their families and peers during a multi-day recognition event.
The website explained that Gold Medallists have committed themselves to at least two years of goal-setting and community involvement. To earn this award, a participant must log a minimum of:
400 hours of Voluntary Public Service
200 hours of Personal Development
200 hours of Physical Fitness
Five-day, four-night Expedition or Exploration.
A total of 877 Gold Medalists from all parts of the country were recognized in the Class of 2026.
“These four main areas were the largest parts of the program, and it took me two to three years to complete,” Jishnu revealed. “At the Gold Medal ceremony itself, I was able to meet all the Gold Medalists from around the country and met different members of Congress. Specifically, I met many representatives from New Jersey, like (Senators) Andy Kim and Cory Booker.”
Jishnu explained how he achieved each of the four tasks.
“In Voluntary Public Service, my primary focus throughout this journey was to make a meaningful difference in my community, especially in improving the lives of senior citizens. I volunteered regularly at the Regency Senior Center, spending time with senior citizens. I played the guitar to provide music therapy sessions. Also, I actively participated in and helped lead fundraising initiatives for Alzheimer’s awareness.”
“In personal development, I focused on building a skill and using it for a purpose. This was
Learning the guitar. I started learning guitar as a new skill and practiced consistently over time. This allowed me to use this skill for volunteering.”
“The Physical Fitness component helped me build discipline and push my personal limits. I am a varsity track athlete at the high school, so I would attend many practices and meets. In these practices, I would develop to become a better runner and improve my form.”
Proof of Jishnu’s development in track and field was evident this past spring when he joined fellow Bridgewater-Rartitan High School juniors Max Pasewaldt, Kenny Graham and Justin Reid to set a school record in the 4x1000 relay. Their time of 42.88, set at the Group 4 state championships in late May, is the No. 1 all-time mark at Bridgewater-Raritan High School.
“In the Expedition / Exploration part of the program, you have to do a five-day trip. I went to Arizona to achieve this. Over there, I had to visit many different places and learn about the history of Arizona. I was able to go to the Grand Canyon and a few museums. Another major part of the trip was the overall planning and physical part. I went hiking for a lot of days, seeing many cool sites.”
A proud Jishnu offered some advice.
“Overall, I thought it was a great experience and that many high schools should look into it. This is because you can develop yourself and also help your community.”