Cameron Rosso, a Rancho Santa Fe resident and senior at The Bishop's School, has earned the Congressional Award Gold Medal, the highest honor the U.S. Congress gives to young Americans.
Rosso completed more than 800 hours of service, physical fitness, personal development and exploration over at least two years to qualify, according to a news release published Friday, Oct. 30, in the San Diego Union-Tribune. He exceeded the requirements in every category, the release stated, especially in voluntary public service.
He has volunteered hundreds of hours for nonprofits addressing homelessness, food insecurity and child and family welfare across greater San Diego, the release stated.
Leading a chapter of nearly 200
Rosso serves as president of the Leadership Council of Teen Volunteers in Action (TVIA) Chapter SD1 and sits on the TVIA National Leadership Council board. He leads a team of more than 25 Leadership Council teens who manage a chapter with nearly 200 members and more than 150 annual service projects with local philanthropy partners, according to the release.
He also captains the sailing team at The Bishop's School.
"The Congressional Award Gold Medal experience showed me that lasting impact comes from following good intentions with consistent effort," Rosso said in the news release. "The greatest achievements are those that make a positive difference in people's lives and in the community."
What the Gold Medal requires
Congress established the Congressional Award in 1979 to recognize young Americans for initiative, service and achievement. Earning the Gold Medal requires at least 800 hours spread over a minimum of two years: 400 hours of voluntary public service, 200 hours of personal development, 200 hours of physical fitness and a five-day, four-night expedition or exploration, according to the Congressional Award program.
Gold medalists are celebrated each year at a summit in Washington, D.C., where members of Congress recognize them alongside their families. The news release stated Rosso will be recognized in the Congressional Record at the 2027 Congressional Award Gold Medal Summit in Washington, D.C.
A Rancho Santa Fe nonprofit legacy
TVIA is a nonprofit focused on developing community leaders through volunteerism, philanthropy and personal development for teen boys in grades 7–12 and their families. Rancho Santa Fe philanthropist Franci Free founded the organization in 2000 after recognizing that no service groups in the area were geared toward teen boys, according to the group's website.
The news release describes TVIA as having six chapters and 1,200 members partnering with 50 philanthropies across San Diego County. The organization's own website lists more than 140 philanthropy partners, including Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego, Feeding San Diego, the Rancho Santa Fe Library Guild and the Surfrider Foundation.
