Tuesday June 20th – Thursday June 22nd, 2023
Washington, D.C.
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Gold Medal Summit 2023
June 20 - June 22
Thank you for your interest in the 2023 Congressional Award Gold Medal Summit! The RSVP form is now closed. We will use the information provided to send school and press notifications on your behalf, and to schedule local meetings with your Member of Congress if you are unable to attend the full 3-day summit in Washington, D.C. Please note that only one RSVP form should have been submitted per medalist. Stay tuned and read below for more updates on the summit!
Registration Deadline
The deadline to submit RSVP’s for the 2023 Gold Medal Summit was April 23, 2023 11:59 p.m ET local time. We are unable to make any exceptions to this deadline.
Summit Refund and Cancellation Policy
The Congressional Award Cancellation and Refund Policy will be as follows to assure consistency and is applicable to the annual Gold Medal Summit:
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- Summit registration canceled before May 1, 2023 is refundable but subject to a $50 fee, which covers bank, application and administrative costs.
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- Registrants canceling on or after May 1, 2023 will not receive a refund. The refund and cancellation policy will not be waived.
While exact timing, venues, and programming pieces have not yet been confirmed, the agenda will include meet and greet opportunities with fellow Awardees and Alumni, meetings with Members of Congress, networking opportunities with influential Government, Business, and Civic Leaders, speaking panels on topics chosen by Gold Medalists with experts in their fields, service projects, receptions and plenty of local tours, attractions such as sporting events, and FUN all over the nation’s capital.
You can find a brief snapshot of the itinerary below:
– Welcome reception & check-in event to meet your fellow medalists & get your Medalist Packet
– Washington Nationals baseball game
– Kick-off breakfast
– Recognition meetings with Members of Congress in and around the U.S. Capitol
– Speaking panels in the Capitol Visitor Center
– Lounge area in the Capitol Visitor Center with refreshments, photo opportunities, merchandise, and staff available to assist medalists
– Formal dinner and reception to recognize the 2023 Gold Medal class
– Sightseeing and local attractions
– Group service activities around Washington, DC
– Networking with Congressional Award alumni
– Farewell dinner and wrap-up reception
Please note that the itinerary is subject to change. This event will be an amazing opportunity for you to connect with your peers and leaders in your community, and we can’t wait for you to join us in Washington, D.C.
We have set up a room block at the Cambria Hotel in Southwest D.C. (available June 20th-23rd) for your convenience at a discounted rate. Rooms are limited. However, we suggest that you do not book a room until you are sure you will be able to attend the Summit and have been approved as a Gold Medalist. You can book your room through the link below.
Please note that while some events may take place at the hotel throughout the 3 days of programming, you do not need to stay at this particular hotel and may book accomodations anywhere conveniently located to Washington, DC.
FAQs
We understand that everyone has unique schedules and commitments. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the event and the number of attendees, as well as the schedules of the Members of Congress who will be participating, it is not possible to personalize schedules for individual participants based on their own availability. We are working to coordinate with the Members of Congress to maximize their availability during the summit and to create a comprehensive and engaging itinerary for the event.
We recommend blocking off three full days to fully participate in all the Summit has to offer. Your meeting with your Member of Congress will be pre-planned and assigned to you closer to June.
The deadline to submit your online record book to be included in the 2023 Gold Medal Class was February 1, 2023. If revisions are needed, the deadline to submit additional information or corrections to your Record Book is March 15, 2023 at 11:59 pm local time. Submit your record book here and find helpful tips, guides, and resources for submitting your record book here.
Due to the increasing number of medalists, in addition to restrictions in the Capitol, the 2023 Gold Medal Summit will not include a formal ceremony. We have shifted to an in-person summit model for medalists to meet with their Members of Congress in an environment that encourages conversation and interaction.
Medals will be mailed to medalists who are unable to attend the Summit after the event takes place in June. We will attempt to set up local presentations for any medalists who who would like one – stay tuned for more information on this later on. Be sure to fill out the RSVP form on this webpage to indicate your preferences.
Travel costs and accommodations will not be covered by The Congressional Award. However, room discounts will be available by booking through the host hotel in Washington, D.C. – which can be booked at this link.
The Registration Fee will cover the Gold Medalist, plus up to one (1) guest. Additional guests may be included in programming opportunities throughout the Summit as room allows, but may incur additional fees for meals & events.
While medalists will receive their medals upon check-in to the Summit on day #1, the main awarding/recognition portion of the Summit will happen during each medalist’s meeting(s) with their Member(s) of Congress on day #2 – June 21, 2023. The nature of these meetings will be determined by each congressional office, so some may be more formal/casual than others depending on how each office sets up the meeting. Additionally – time, location, and guest capacity will be determined by each office.
Once we begin sending out scheduling requests in the coming weeks and get meetings set on each medalists’ schedule, we will request that each office provide information on guest allowances and make sure that it’s conveyed to the medalists and their guests as soon as possible.
Most lunches and dinners, as well as refreshments throughout the days, will be provided by The Congressional Award for the Gold Medalist, plus up to one (1) guest.
We are excited to offer a registration fee waiver for the 2023 Gold Medal Summit to those who may need financial assistance. Here on our website, you will find an application form for a waived registration fee. Please note that this waiver will only cover the $400 registration fee and does not include flights, hotels, or supplementary meals. A committee will review all requests for a waiver on a need-basis, however, please be aware that the number of slots available is limited. If your application is approved, you will be required to provide documentation of your financial need later on. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
The Congressional Award team is already working on scheduling meetings with Members of Congress for Gold Medalists. That being said, we are unable to guarantee that your Representative and/or Senator(s) will be available due to the ongoing legislative and voting schedule. However, there will be many opportunities to meet with legislative, business and civic leaders throughout the Summit. We will work with you to arrange meeting opportunities in recognition of earning your Gold Medal.
It is an honor to have recognized you as part of the classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022 during our virtual Gold Medal Ceremonies. This year, we had an overwhelming response to our return to in-person programming. While we explored the possibility of including earlier classes to attend the upcoming Gold Medal Summit in Washington, D.C., we have surpassed capacity for the events in June 2023. Therefore, we will not be able to extend an invitation to medalists beyond the 2023 class at this time.
However, we would still like to offer you a few opportunities to stay involved as an alumni member of the program:
- We invite you to consider applying to become a Diversity Ambassador, a role that provides opportunities to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Congressional Award community.
- We encourage you to join our alumni network on LinkedIn, where you can connect with fellow medalists and stay informed about upcoming events and career opportunities.
- We also encourage you to check out the resources in our Career Center, where you can find valuable tools and guidance to help you pursue your career goals and find job opportunities from our corporate partners.
Beyond our Ambassadors program, Alumni Network, and Career Center, you may also request a meeting with your member of Congress during the second day of the Summit on Tuesday, June 21, 2023 in Washington, D.C. if you are local to the area. This will provide you with a chance to discuss your achievements and the impact of your community service, personal development, and physical fitness goals with your representative. You can access the request form here on our website. All requests must be submitted by April 23, 2023.
We are also excited to extend invitations to all alumni members to join the 2023 class for a day of service activities on Wednesday, June 22, 2023, both virtually and in Washington, D.C. This will be a great opportunity to connect with fellow Gold Medalists and continue your commitment to making a positive impact. We’ll be sharing more information on our day of service as the event gets closer, so stay tuned!
We are planning a hybrid format so that programming can be shared virtually at no cost for Medalists who are unable to attend the in-person events.
Please refer to the brief snapshot of the itinerary included at the beginning of this webpage. Attendees will be notified once the agenda is finalized in the coming weeks.
Most of the events of the 2023 Gold Medal Summit will take place in The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) as well as the Senate and House of Representative Office Buildings, which all offer a variety of services for individuals with disabilities. Read more about the CVC accessibility services here, and the House/Senate Office Buildings here. Supplementary events will take place at local hotels, sporting event venues, and local museums or event spaces. As these venues are secured, we will be sure to prioritize sending out information on ADA compliance and accessibility services. Our team will be ready to assist any individuals with special needs.