by Andrew Alonzo | aalonzo@claremont-courier.com

Between her typical teenager’s social life, school, extracurriculars activities such as golf, and near constant volunteering, Claremont High School senior Taara Reddy has a lot to juggle.

Recently the 18-year-old’s nearly five years of volunteerism caught the eye of the United States Congress, which recognized Reddy as a 2026 Congressional Award Gold Medalist, the highest honor for civilian youth in the United States.

The award, established in 1979, was created “to recognize initiative, service, and achievement in young people,” according to congressionalaward.org/the-program.

Reddy got the news over summer and received an official certificate in August. She will receive her medal next year at the 2026 gold medal summit in Washington, D.C.

“Ever since I was little, that kind of instilled this passion of mine to always try my best to find ways to help others,” Reddy said.

To be eligible for the award young people 13 and-a-half through 23 must complete at least 800 hours of public service, which includes 400 hours of voluntary public service, 200 hours for personal development such as social and life skill development, and 200 hours of physical fitness development. Applicants must also spend at least five days and four nights immersed in a new environment or culture, then submit a record of their activities validated by mentors.

Claremont High School senior Taara Reddy’s Congressional Award Gold Certificate, the highest civilian youth honor in the United States. Photo/courtesy of Praveena Jeereddi

Reddy began working toward the award in seventh grade, around the time of COVID-19. “We were quarantined and it was a way to kind of get me to do something while I was at home,” she said.

Here is a list of some of her activities that contributed to receiving the award:

• She volunteered with her mother, Praveena Jeereddi, at Claremont Care Center Zoom calls, reading to elders in hospice care.
• She founded Forever in Our Hearts to honor hospice patients at the center, writing “forever in our hearts” on hundreds of wooden hearts and assembling kits to allow families to create an ornament featuring their loved one’s fingerprint.
• In high school, Reddy formed the club Play It Forward, which facilitated sports clinics for younger Claremont Unified School District students in partnership with Claremont After-School Programs.
• As an “e-leader,” she led weekly clinics with Southern California Golf Association to teach young girls golf and female empowerment.
• Via her nonprofit Reddy2Strike, she and her family raised money to supply underprivileged kids with tennis, golf, and soccer equipment.
• She taught Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance, in hopes of “inspiring confidence and ambition among young girls,” she said, adding it’s also helped her stay connected with her family’s Indian roots.
• With Children’s Foundation of America, she helped organize and distribute monthly gifts for kids in orphanages.
• She planned a trip to Paris with her mother in 2023.

“Initially, I wanted to plan a trip to Bali because I love Indonesia,” Reddy said. Her mother “loves art history, and I was like, you know what, I want to explore something that my mom loves too, and just learn about the country and the culture. Because I had never been there, and I thought it was a great opportunity to do this aspect of the award.”

Reddy credited early memories of her mom, who requested the family donate to local nonprofits and causes for her birthday, as inspiration for her own volunteerism.

It took Reddy more than four years to complete the tasks required for her Congressional Award Gold Medal. Though a struggle at first, things got easier as her time management skills improved.

“Don’t let the hours intimidate you,” Reddy said to those who might be thinking about working toward their own medal. “Try to incorporate some fun aspects. In the end, it will all be worth it.”

“There are currently 40 active registered participants in Claremont and 17 Congressional Award earners from Claremont,” Congressional Award Gold Medal Western Region Program Manager Francesca D’Ambrosi wrote in an email. “So far this year, there have been 1,939 Congressional Award earners and 557 of them are from California.”

Reddy said she feels both accomplished and proud. And, she has no plans on stopping anytime soon, as she’s in the midst of completing college applications and her final season with the  Wolfpack golf team.