Green River native and Congressional Gold Medalist Isabell Salas, third from left, was able to spend time with Wyoming legislators and event sponsors at the Congressional Award golf tournament fundraiser in Jackson. Pictured, from left, are Taylor Stone (Distribution Manager, Stio), Matt Wilson (Director of Operations, Radiant Nuclear), Isabell Salas, Rep. Hariet Hageman, Sen. John Barrasso, Sen. Cynthia Lummis, Jason Begger (Founder/Principal, Armature Advocacy), and Dennis Ellis (TechSpark Manager at Microsoft).
Wyoming Congressional Award hosted their annual fundraising golf tournament in Jackson Hole August 5 through 7 at Teton Pines Golf Club. Some of the biggest sponsors of the event include Sweetwater County corporations and companies Simplot, Williams, and Genesis Alkali.
As event sponsors, these companies help provide scholarships to Wyoming Congressional Gold Medalists, aid in covering travel costs to send Wyoming Congressional Gold Medalists to Washington, D.C. for the annual Gold Medal Summit and support the Wyoming Congressional Award program.
Sweetwater County has had many medal recipients over the years, including this year's Gold Medal recipient Isabell Salas from Green River, 2024 Silver Medalist Michael Rubich from Rock Springs and Bronze Medalist Cooper Rubich, also from Rock Springs.
This year's event included a welcome reception, two days of golf, and dinner at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort with a live auction and paddle race. Every year the live auction items are provided by some of Wyoming's governing body. This year the auction included items from Congresswoman Harriet Hageman and Senators Cynthia Lummis and John Barrasso, who were also present to kick off the tournament.
"As the only state in the country to manage its program locally, the Wyoming Congressional Award Council is able to reach young people where they live and provide hands-on guidance and mentoring," WCAC Executive Director Sarah Compton said. "Our Invitational Golf Tournament, now in its 32nd year, serves to celebrate and raise money to support the mission of the Wyoming Congressional Award. Every dollar invested in Wyoming Congressional Award provides a solid foundation for Wyoming's youth to work toward their personal and public service goals."
Compton added, "None of what we do to celebrate Wyoming's youth would be possible without the generosity and support from all our generous donors!"
The Congressional Award program was created by late Senator Malcolm Wallop (R-Wyoming) and Congressman James Howard (D-New Jersey). The duo wrote "The Congressional Award Act" as a way to recognize initiative, service, and achievement in young people. The Wyoming Congressional Award Council was officially established on October 8, 1983, and celebrated during a University of Wyoming vs. Brigham Young University football game.
The program's Wyoming roots makes it extra significant for Wyoming youth who participate. United States youth aged 13.5 to 24 complete over 600 hours of Voluntary Public Service, Physical Fitness, Expedition and Exploration and Personal Development in order to receive their Gold Medal status.
The Wyoming Congressional Award Council is a non-partisan, non-competitive, and non-religious organization that supports Wyoming youth (and their advisors/mentors) as they pursue The Congressional Award. To find out more information about the Wyoming Congressional Award Program you can visit https://wycongressionalaward.org/about/.
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