Interlake resident Ivan Leniski, 15, was awarded the Congressional Award Bronze Medal Jan. 15 by U.S. Representative Dave Reichert at his U.S. 8th District offices on Mercer Island.

The sophomore honors student was recognized for his dedication to the four recognized criteria set forward by the honor: a spirit of volunteerism, personal development, physical fitness and exploration.

“It’s so important that we take the time to recognize the hard work and dedication of our young people as we’re doing with Ivan today,” said Reichert, whose district represents most of Bellevue.

“The Congressional Award sets exactly the right tone by inspiring our youth to set and achieve ambitious goals. This is truly a win-win proposition: Our young people benefit from developing their personal and leadership skills, and our society as a whole benefits from these bright citizens who contribute to making America such a wonderful place to live.”

Ivan was joined by his parents, Susana and Jason, at the award ceremony. The family lives in Sammamish.

Kendall Watson is a staff writer for the Sammamish Reporter. He can be reached at kwatson@issaquah-reporter.com or 425-391-0363, ext. 5052.