Way to go! Dix Hills student wins Congressional Award

A student from Half Hollow Hills High School West in Dix Hills has received a prestigious national award for serving her community and achieving personal goals.

Grace Sullivan, a junior, was awarded the Congressional Award Silver Medal, which recognizes achievements in four components: voluntary public service, physical fitness, personal development and expedition/exploration. The silver medal requires a minimum of 200 hours of voluntary public service, 100 hours of both physical fitness and personal development, and two nights of expedition/exploration over a 12-month span.

Sullivan's volunteer work focused on the Amityville-based nonprofit Kids Need More, which strives to enhance the lives of children and families coping with cancer and serious illness. Her efforts have ranged from being a head counselor for the nonprofit's summer camp to participating in its "holiday cheer bus," which involves filling buses with gifts and delivering them to families in need.

She has also coordinated kickboxing and volleyball fundraisers with the help of family and friends that have collected more than $15,000 and 3,000 toys for the organization.

"It was really rewarding to receive this award after everything from volunteering to setting goals and achieving them," said Sullivan, whose personal development and physical fitness achievements included improving her three-point shooting in basketball and becoming an officer for her school's Key Club.

Sullivan, 17, is also treasurer of her school's Varsity Club and a member of the girls varsity basketball, soccer and track teams, and History and Science honor societies.

— MICHAEL R. EBERT

By Michael R. Ebert

michael.ebert@newsday.com

Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.