Springfield, Ohio - Wittenberg sophomore Katherine Westlund, of Rockford, Ill., was awarded the Silver Congressional Award Medal this past summer for the good work she has done for the betterment of her community. Considered the highest award bestowed upon America's youth, Congressman Donald Manzull presented her the award at his Rockford, Ill. office.

The Congressional Award is open to all young people ages 14-23 in America. To earn the award, young people must set and achieve goals in the four program areas: voluntary, public service, personal development, physical fitness, and expedition/exploration.

Established in 1979, The Congressional Awards have been earned by over 6,500 youth representing over 1.5 million volunteer hours performed in community service across America. Westlund was the first participant in Illinois to earn a Congressional Award Medal in 2002.

She was nominated by the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership organization that she served as an ambassador, after she chaired a community leadership experience workshop in her hometown of Rockford.

Westlund, a political science/sociology double major is currently one of the community service coordinators at Wittenberg, helping to advise other students with their service. She is also currently interning at the Springfield Foundation, a non-profit community foundation. Her other activities involve, Junior Panhellenic, Student Senate Hearing Board, Model United Nations and Alpha Delta Pi sorority.

Westlund will be speaking in November at the Rockford Community Foundation annual dinner to introduce Susan Price, author of The Giving Family....Raising Family To Help Others.

Wittenberg University, located between Columbus and Dayton, Ohio, has a national reputation in the liberal arts and sciences and offers students exceptional career preparation with the opportunity for double majors, minors and interdisciplinary majors.