Peters Township ’ s Rachael Gavlik has made her hometown proud . Last summer , she received a Congressional Award Gold Medal , making her one of fewer than 3,800 young Americans in the entire country to earn the program ’ s Gold Medal in 2021 .
The Congressional Award is presented by Congress each year to honor the accomplishments and volunteerism of young Americans . Gavlik applied for the award and then established goals in each of the four award areas — Voluntary Public Service , Personal Development , Physical Fitness and Expedition / Exploration . After that , she began logging hours in a book each month .
To earn the Gold Medal , Gavlik completed over 400 hours of voluntary public service , 200 hours of personal development , 200 hours of physical fitness and a five-day expedition trip . All of this had to be completed over a span of 24 months . “ One important aspect of the award is being a well-rounded individual ,” she explains . “ I needed to set and complete goals in each category to earn the award . This required me to show that I was service-oriented , physically active , exploratory , prepared and dedicated to set and achieve all of these goals .”
Rachael Gavlik is the daughter of Bob and Tammi Gavlik , and is currently a freshman attending the University of Pittsburgh on the PharmD ( Doctorate of Pharmacy ) track . She is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Peters Township High School , class of 2021 .
In total , Gavlik has completed a whopping 1,200 hours of volunteer service , and the hours keep coming in !
“ I wanted to complete a project where I had flexibility to work on it whenever I desired ,” she says . “ I then remembered my experience from working in the Meals on Wheels kitchen the year prior . All of their meals were delivered in plain paper lunch bags , and I wanted to find a way to add some color to those boring bags .” Gavlik came up with the idea to illustrate designs on the bags . From there , her volunteering spiraled into many other projects including handmade cards , placemats , Easter baskets and eventually fleece blankets .
“ Once I ran out of materials for one project , I quickly moved on to another ,” she explains . “ I loved the ability to choose what I created , so I never became bored of it .”
In total , Gavlik donated 211 paper bags , more than 250 cards , 100 placemats , 14 Easter baskets , and more than 600 fleece blankets . “ I loved being able to showcase my creative side and come up with new designs daily ,” she says . “ I often did not know who the specific recipient would be , but with each thing I created , I envisioned the joy it would bring to each person . This is what kept me going through the days I spent upwards of 12- 14 hours a day working on these projects . I fell in love with the entire process of serving : from the beginning stage of creation to the end stage of giving it to the recipient . Seeing my ability to bring a bright spot to someone ’ s day made me realize I had a newfound power to change lives .”
For the Personal Development requirement , Gavlik concentrated her efforts into developing her piano and voice
skills , in addition to teaching herself to play the ukulele . She put in practice time outside of her weekly lessons and would receive new songs to practice . She also worked for several months preparing pieces to play at her school and studio talent showcases . “ Through my practice , I became a more confident performer and grew to see the value in my hard work and dedication ,” she says .
Gavlik also completed the award ’ s component of Physical Activity by joining the marching band as a member of the color guard . In addition to a multi-hour practice schedule each week , she dedicated several hours of additional time to focus on perfecting the routines and improving her technique . “ I grew to love this sport and even decided to continue it in college ,” she adds . “ I am a current member of the University of Pittsburgh ’ s Varsity Marching Band . I absolutely love every aspect from practicing new routines to performing on the field . It has been a highlight of my college experience as well and a passion I attribute to finding because of the Congressional Award .”
Expedition and Exploration required her to plan a five-day , four-night trip that explored a new experience . For this requirement , Gavlik planned a camping trip to visit five of Pennsylvania ’ s state parks . Before the trip , she arranged an itinerary including meal plans , packing lists and park trail routes . She detailed her ventures in a travel log every step of the way . She also completed reflection questions that allowed her to revisit the significance of the trip , including the similarities and differences between each park .
“ I had always been interested in learning more about nature , so I really enjoyed the opportunity to explore all of the beautiful plants and wildlife in my backyard ,” says Gavlik . “ For this portion of the award especially , I learned innovative problemsolving skills as I had to alter my original plans .” Due to the pandemic , she was not able to rent a cabin as planned and had to search for other housing arrangements .
“ Volunteering has always been something I ’ ve held close to my heart ,” says Gavlik . “ I grew up attending church , and from a young age was taught the value of service and placing others above yourself . Over time , that love grew to a greater level as I found more ways I could serve my community . Deep down , I have always had this desire to help others , and while anyone can learn the value of service , it takes it another step to embrace it . Volunteering has changed me as a person , as I ’ ve had the opportunity to see the joy in people ’ s reactions each time they received a project I made . That gave me a new sense of purpose — knowing that I could make a positive impact in someone ’ s life .”
Her future plans include continuing to volunteer in college , and she hopes to join one of several service organizations on campus and remain a member of the university ’ s marching band . Gavlik aims to graduate in 2027 with her Doctorate of Pharmacy . “ I know service will always be a part of my life ,” she says . “ It ’ s become an important part of my identity . I love the feeling I get from helping people , and it is something I want to continue for the rest of my life .” n
PETERS TOWNSHIP ❘ FEBRUARY / MARCH 2022 67