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July 24, 2006
ANDOVER—Prateek Kumar is very good at giving of his time and energy, and because of that, in June, he got to do a little receiving as well: the Phillips Academy student, a member of the Class of 2007, was honored as a recipient of a 2006 Congressional Award Gold Medal.
Kumar was among 242 young Americans to qualify for the honor, the most prestigious handed out to youths by the United States Congress. The medal recognizes those who participate in community service and meet ambitious goals for personal development. Other criteria for selection include physical fitness and cultural exploration.
Kumar credits Richard Gorham, his house counselor at Andover Cottage, and Dr. David Stern of the Andover chemistry department for their support of him and his efforts. “Both of these men helped me out a lot and I want to give them due credit,” Kumar said.
An Eagle Scout, Kumar has volunteered his time at a nursing home close to the Andover campus and worked with children in conjunction with various youth organizations. The Latham, N.Y., resident also visited Camphill Village, a community-based facility that provides a home for adults who are living with disabilities or require special needs. Kumar donated 450 hours of his time in qualifying for the honor.
His summer schedule is equally full. Through early August, he is conducting cell biology research as part of the Research Science Institute at MIT. He is one of only 78 students from around the world to participate in the program, according to Kumar, who has diverse academic interests. He recently completed a yearlong project on eminent domain with a professor from Stanford Law School; as part of the project he sat in on two U.S. Supreme Court cases and met Associate Justice Stephen Breyer.
When at Phillips Academy, Kumar works for the Phillipian, plays football, and participates in debate, Model UN, and choir.
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