The Congressional Award
The Congressional Award is the highest honor that Congress gives to young people. Service is the biggest part of it. Tutor a kid online with Learn To Be, and we log every hour for you. Going for Silver or Gold? We act as your Advisor for the service part.
What it is
Congress created the award in 1979 to recognize young people for service, initiative, and achievement. It is not a competition and there is no minimum GPA. You set goals in four areas and meet them at your own pace.
Bronze, Silver, and Gold
Each level needs every column. The levels stack, so hours for one level count toward the next.
| Level | Service | Personal development | Physical fitness | Expedition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze Certificate | 30 hours | 15 hours | 15 hours | 1 day |
| Silver Certificate | 60 hours | 30 hours | 30 hours | 2 days |
| Gold Certificate | 90 hours, 6 months | 45 hours, 6 months | 45 hours, 6 months | 3 days |
| Bronze Medal | 100 hours, 7 months | 50 hours, 7 months | 50 hours, 7 months | 2 days, 1 night |
| Silver Medal | 200 hours, 12 months | 100 hours, 12 months | 100 hours, 12 months | 3 days, 2 nights |
| Gold Medal | 400 hours, 24 months | 200 hours, 24 months | 200 hours, 24 months | 5 days, 4 nights |
Medal expeditions must be one trip with back-to-back days and nights. Bronze and Silver Certificates have no month requirement.
We are your Advisor for the service part
Your tutoring hours count, and you earn Learn To Be badges as they grow
We are a small team, so we put our time where it helps kids most: tutors who stay with their students for a year or more. That is what changes a kid’s school year. The Silver and Gold Medals take at least 12 and 24 months of service, so the award asks for the same commitment our kids need. If you are that kind of tutor, we will work with you every step of the way, to help your student and to help you earn the award.
Why tutor with Learn To Be
Service is the biggest requirement at every medal level. Tutoring fills it steadily, week after week, and keeps every month active.
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and tutoring is direct service to kids in your community and across the country. That is exactly what the service area asks for.
Every session is logged for you automatically, with the date and length. No spreadsheet to keep for two years.
Going for the Silver or Gold Medal? We act as your Advisor for the service part. We help you set your service goal, check in as you go, and sign off on your service hours.
Tutor online from home, on evenings or weekends. No ride needed.
You work 1-on-1 with a kid from an under-resourced family. Tutoring is free for the families we serve.
Tutoring the same student for a year or two makes a strong story for college and scholarship essays.
In their own words
Six steps from sign-up to medal.
Ask a teacher, coach, or other adult who is not family to be your Advisor. Do this before you register. Going for Silver or Gold? We can be your Advisor for the service part.
Register at congressionalaward.org. Your hours start counting on that day.
With your Advisor, set one challenging goal in each of the four areas.
Do the work and log every hour. If you tutor with us, your service hours are logged for you.
When you finish each goal, send a validation form to the adult who saw your work. Your Advisor signs last.
Submit your Record Book online. Reviews usually take 6 to 8 weeks.
Read this first
These rules catch students after months of work. Know them before you start.
Straight answers to the questions students ask most.
The Congressional Award is the highest honor Congress gives to young people. Here is exactly how to earn it, from registration to the medal ceremony.
An honest answer to whether the Congressional Award is worth the time, what colleges actually see in it, and who should skip it.
Finding an Advisor is where most Congressional Award students get stuck. Here is who can serve, who cannot, and exactly what to say when you ask.
Not every student can get to a food bank every week. Here are service activities that count for the Congressional Award that you can do from home, and the rules they must follow.
Every Congressional Award level in one table, with the hour and month rules that trip students up.
Enter your hours and months to see which levels you have met and what is left.
Register for the award, then start tutoring. Every session you teach adds hours and keeps your months active.
Learn To Be is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Congressional Award Foundation. Requirements on this page come from the official Program Book. Check congressionalaward.org for the latest rules.
