The Congressional Award Gold Medal, the highest honor for youth service, was presented to Jessica Lee by Congressman Ed Case on August 15 in Honolulu. The award recognizes two years of work across four categories, and Lee was one of 877 recipients nationwide.
Lee's 420 hours of volunteer work were concentrated on health‑care outreach for older adults at St. Francis Healthcare System. She spent time with patients, educated families on medical information, and highlighted language barriers that hinder informed consent.
Inspired by her grandfather's battle with lung cancer in Korea, Lee founded the Cancer Health Awareness & Mindfulness Program, a nonprofit that runs workshops on cancer prevention and partners with the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center's Skin Van.
Outside her service, Lee balances a state‑champion golf career, violin performances, and a Boston trip that sharpened her navigation skills. She also led a petition for Korean heritage inclusion that gathered 300 signatures and reached the Hawaiʻi Legislature.
At the ceremony, Congressman Case noted that Lee is the seventh person from his district to receive the award in 25 years, and she will now focus on college applications as she aims to become a physician.