Downey's Ryan Cho earns congressional medal for citizenship

DOWNEY -- Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard presented a Congressional Award Silver Medal to Downey’s Ryan Cho last Thursday, as well as a Certificate of Congressional Recognition celebrating his achievement. 

The Congressional Award is a public-private partnership created by Congress to promote and recognize achievement, initiative, and service in American youth aged 14 to 23. Cho, and other young people across America, earn the Congressional Award by setting and reaching personally challenging goals that build character and promote community service, personal development, and citizenship. 

Participants set and achieve individual goals in four program areas: voluntary public service, physical fitness, personal development and expedition/exploration. 

In earning his Congressional Award Silver Medal, Cho volunteered more than 100 hours of service to the Downey FoodHelp food bank, and organized multiple fundraising campaigns for Crops of Love. For his personal development program area, Cho improved his artistic skills across several media, including drawing, acrylic, watercolor and sculpting. 

He also attended Yeda Art Academy and constructed a variety of individual projects at home. 
For his physical fitness program area, Cho successfully increased his Kendo skill level and achieved the rank of nikyu. He also increased his strike count and now averages 20 strikes per match. 

Finally, for his expedition program area, he traveled to San Francisco, where he explored Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39, the Golden Gate Bridge, and more.