(JACKSON, Miss.) - Jackson State University freshman Lynice Michelle Higgins will receive the U.S. Congressional Award Gold Medal at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, at the Mississippi State Capitol in Jackson, Miss.
The award is granted by the Washington D.C.-based Congressional Award National Board of Directors. The board commended Higgins on her community volunteer work and for her achievements in personal development, physical fitness, and expedition and exploration.
"Everyone thinks you have to give money to help your community," the general studies major said. "But the only thing you have to do is spend time with people helping them."
The Congressional Award is the U.S. Congress' award for young Americans. It is nonpartisan, voluntary and noncompetitive.
Higgins has worked toward the Gold Medal for three years. In previous years she has received the Congressional Bronze Certificate, the Congressional Silver Certificate, the Congressional Gold Certificate, the Congressional Bronze Medal and the Congressional Silver Medal.
Higgins' volunteer achievements include contributing more than 500 service hours working as a shelter volunteer, taking part in community clean-up projects, facilitating healthy living workshops for teen girls and collecting clothes for Goodwill. For personal development, Higgins started a physical fitness program for classmates and other youth. She also completed the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation Young Entrepreneur Program, the Mississippi Job Corps Center High School Co-enrollment Program, JROTC Executive Officer training and the Copiah Lincoln Community College Upward Bound Program.
For the exploration portion of the award, Higgins spent a week on a farm where she took care of farm animals and picked vegetables.
Higgins is enrolled in the W.E.B. DuBois Honors College and the Department of Facilities and Construction Work-Aid Program. She is a member of the Making A Difference Doing Respectable And Meaningful Art (MADDRAMA) performance troop. A Girl Scout for 10 years, Higgins now serves as a volunteer leader with the Girls Scout Council of Middle Mississippi - Troop 12 in Hazlehurst. She is also an active member of St. James Missionary Baptist Church in Hazlehurst, where she serves as Sunday School secretary, announcement clerk and usher.
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About Jackson State University: Challenging Minds, Changing Lives
Jackson State University, founded in 1877, is a historically black, high research activity university located in Jackson, the capital city of the state of Mississippi. Jackson State's nurturing academic environment challenges individuals to change lives through teaching, research and service. Officially designated as Mississippi's Urban University, Jackson State continues to enhance the state, nation and world through comprehensive economic development, health-care, technological and educational initiatives. The only university in the Jackson metropolitan area, Jackson State is located near downtown, with three satellite campuses throughout the city. For more information, visit www.jsums.edu.
