1Honoring the many achievements of Indira Ridgeway, a junior at
2Harrisburg High School's SciTech Campus and a 2011-2012
3Congressional Award Gold Medal recipient.

4WHEREAS, Indira Ridgeway is an 11th grade student at
5Harrisburg High School's SciTech Campus; and

6WHEREAS, Ms. Ridgeway is truly an inspiration for young
7people in her community, being involved in numerous educational
8and civic programs and organizations; and

9WHEREAS, Ms. Ridgeway's many passions include advocating
10against blood diamonds and human trafficking; and

11WHEREAS, As an advocate for these causes, Ms. Ridgeway worked
12with principals at both Harrisburg High School campuses to
13establish a program which awarded extra credit to students who
14completed online human trafficking training and increased
15awareness regarding blood diamonds among her peers and the
16community through the completion of a National History Day

1project which received Statewide, regional and local attention;
2and

3WHEREAS, Aside from her passion for these two causes, Ms.
4Ridgeway is also an ardent supporter of educational achievement
5and is involved in many activities at her school; and

6WHEREAS, Ms. Ridgeway has worked with elementary students in
7her community as an American Red Cross CPR/AED certified
8babysitter as well as providing tutoring services; and

9WHEREAS, At Harrisburg's SciTech Campus, Ms. Ridgeway is
10involved in the school's student council, is a member of the
11school's cheerleading squad and serves on the Harrisburg Rotary
12Youth Community Development Team; and

13WHEREAS, Realizing that national and international problems
14and crises have an impact locally, Ms. Ridgeway helped to
15organize a fundraising effort to help all those affected by the
162010 earthquake in Haiti; and

17WHEREAS, Ms. Ridgeway is also a member of national
18organizations such as the Southern Poverty Law Center and the
19N.A.A.C.P's Schomberg Center for Research; and

20WHEREAS, Ms. Ridgeway's past honors and awards include
21perfect attendance from 7th through 10th grade and the Senate of
22Pennsylvania Good Citizen Award; and

23WHEREAS, In recognition of her service to her community, Ms.
24Ridgeway was recently awarded the Congressional Award Gold
25Medal, having volunteered more than 400 hours during a two-year
26period to qualify for the award; and

27WHEREAS, Congress established the Congressional Award in 1979
28to recognize initiative, achievement and service in young
29people; and

30WHEREAS, Ms. Ridgeway's eldest sister, Thais Ridgeway,

1received the Congressional Award Gold Medal in 2008 and was the
2first Harrisburg native to receive such an award; and

3WHEREAS, It is fitting and proper that the House of
4Representatives acknowledge extraordinary young people for
5academic achievements and their dedication and service to their
6communities; therefore be it

7RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor the many
8educational and personal achievements of Indira Ridgeway, 2011-
92012 Congressional Award Gold Medal recipient.