Congressional Award Opportunity  

 The Congressional Award is a nationally recognized program that honors students for initiative, service, and personal development. Open to youth ages 13–23, participants set individualized goals across four areas—voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness, and expedition/exploration—building leadership, resilience, and real-world experience over time. Earning a Congressional Award (Bronze, Silver, or Gold Medal) is a meaningful distinction that can strengthen college applications while reflecting sustained commitment and achievement.
Learn more and register: https://www.congressionalaward.org/

Congressional Award Opportunity

⭐ STEM Stars & 2026 Careers in STEM Video Challenge

Video Challenge Deadline: September 27, 2026

↓ Read More & Learn How to Participate 

STEM & The Congressional Award

Turn Your STEM Experiences into a Congressional Award STEM Star

Are you already participating in biomedical research, science education, STEM service, or other STEM activities? Your experiences may also help you work toward recognition through The Congressional Award, the United States Congress' award for young Americans.

The Congressional Award is a voluntary, noncompetitive program for young people ages 14–24 (registration begins at age 13½). Participants set and achieve individual goals in four areas: Voluntary Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness, and Expedition/Exploration.

⭐ Become a STEM Star

Through its STEM Stars initiative, The Congressional Award gives additional recognition to participants who incorporate STEM into their Award goals. STEM activities can be incorporated into any of the four Congressional Award program areas. Participants who successfully complete the requirements can earn a STEM Star designation and digital certificate, with a STEM Star pin associated with earning a Congressional Award Medal.

For BioMedEdu students, this is an opportunity to think beyond simply participating in a STEM program. Consider how your experiences in ASPIRATION, research, scientific communication, STEM outreach, mentoring, or other science-related activities might become part of meaningful long-term goals.

Important: Congressional Award activities and goals must meet the Award's own guidelines. Participation in a BioMedEdu program does not automatically qualify for Congressional Award credit or the STEM Star designation. Students should register with The Congressional Award, review its requirements, establish their goals appropriately, track their activities and hours, and obtain the required validation.

Ready to Explore?

Learn about STEM Stars, download the STEM Stars Toolkit, and explore ideas for incorporating STEM into your Congressional Award journey:

Explore Congressional Award STEM Stars →

Already working toward The Congressional Award? Think creatively about how your interest in science can connect with service, personal development, fitness, or exploration—and how the skills you develop can make a difference in your community.

Video Competition: Careers in STEM Challenge  by Congressional Award

We would like to share an opportunity offered by Congressional Award for STEM students.

The Congressional Award, in partnership with Ferring Pharmaceuticals, invites young people nationwide to participate in the 2026 Careers in STEM Challenge.

Participants create a short video highlighting a STEM career of their choice. The video should introduce what professionals in that career do, explain why the career is important, and describe possible pathways for entering the field—all in a way that is engaging and understandable to a general audience.

Challenge Details

• Who: Participants in The Congressional Award program

• Video: A short, creative video about a STEM career

• Format: Vertical video (phone upright)

• Deadline: September 27, 2026

• Awards: Five winners will receive special prizes and be featured on The Congressional Award website and in an upcoming newsletter.

• Judging: Creativity, clarity and engagement, accuracy, and the ability to make the selected STEM career relatable to a general audience.

This is a great opportunity for BioMedEdu students to build on their experiences in biomedical research, scientific communication, and career exploration. Consider featuring a career you discovered through ASPIRATION, the High School Student Symposium, a research mentor, or another STEM experience.

Important: The Congressional Award's current challenge page contains an inconsistency: the main instructions say videos may be up to three minutes, while the submission section says no longer than two minutes. We recommend BioMedEdu students keep their videos under two minutes to satisfy both instructions.

Learn more and enter the 2026 Careers in STEM Challenge →