Cy Woods Senior Shri Chada Earns 2026 Congressional Award Gold Medal for Service, STEM Outreach
For Cypress Woods High School senior Shri Chada, earning one of the nation’s highest honors for young people was not the result of a single project or moment. It reflected years of setting goals, serving others and following through on work that connected education, healthcare, science and sustainability.
Chada was named a 2026 Congressional Award Gold Medal recipient for her involvement in education equity, STEM outreach, pediatric patient care and programs supporting students in underserved communities.
Her recognition offers a source of pride for Cypress Woods High School and the broader Cypress-Fairbanks ISD community, while also showing younger students how personal interests can grow into meaningful public service.
“To me, the Congressional Award is truly about setting goals that are important to you and following through on them over time,” Chada said. “Looking back, it was a lot of work, but I was doing things that I really like to do, and it was rewarding to see everything come together.”
What Is the Congressional Award Gold Medal?
The Congressional Award is the United States Congress’ award for young Americans and recognizes initiative, service and achievement. Established by Congress in 1979, the nonpartisan and noncompetitive program allows participants to work at their own pace while completing goals in four areas: voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness and expedition or exploration.
Young people can begin counting qualifying activities at age 14 and may continue working toward Bronze, Silver and Gold certificates and medals through age 23. The Congressional Award Gold Medal is considered Congress’ highest honor for civilian youth.
The 2026 Gold Medal class included 877 recipients from across the country. Chada and the other honorees were recognized during the Congressional Award Gold Medal Summit, held June 8-10 in Washington, D.C.
Artishri Connects Creativity, Healthcare and Sustainability
One of the central projects behind Chada’s Congressional Award journey was Artishri, a nonprofit initiative she founded to design, paint and distribute reusable tote bags.
The project brings together several causes that matter to her. Proceeds generated through the hand-painted bags support pediatric patient care, while the use of reusable totes promotes sustainability and encourages people to reduce their reliance on disposable bags.
The initiative also reflects the kind of cross-disciplinary approach that shaped much of Chada’s service: using art to address a healthcare need while also raising environmental awareness.
For local families and students, Artishri provides a practical example of how a creative idea can become a community-focused service project.
Expanding STEM Education Through NorthSouth Foundation
Chada also worked with the NorthSouth Foundation to support STEM education programs. Her contributions included helping develop curriculum and outreach materials and assisting with AP Physics 1 workshops.
That work helped her earn the Congressional Award STEM Star designation, which provides additional recognition to participants who incorporate science, technology, engineering or mathematics activities into their award goals. STEM Stars receive a special designation and are invited to STEM-focused opportunities and events.
Her involvement placed an emphasis not only on learning advanced science concepts, but also on making those concepts more approachable for other students.
For a Cypress Woods High School senior to receive both the Congressional Award Gold Medal and the STEM Star designation also highlights the role local students can play in widening access to STEM education.
(Source: CFISD)Teaching Vocational Art Skills in Rural India
Chada’s service extended internationally through her work with Ekal Vidyalaya, a nonprofit organization focused on improving literacy, healthcare and economic opportunity in rural India.
During the summer, she traveled to remote villages to teach hands-on vocational art classes. She worked with local organizers to develop lessons, prepare teaching materials and coordinate art supplies purchased from local vendors.
“During the summer, I traveled to remove villages in India to teach hands-on vocational art classes that helped students develop creative and practical skills,” Chada said. “I worked with local organizers to create lessons and teaching materials, coordinated and distributed art supplies sourced from local vendors and later I created a video documentary to share the program’s impact and encourage future outreach.”
The experience added another dimension to Chada’s work by connecting education with practical skill development. Rather than simply delivering supplies, the program focused on giving students tools they could use to build confidence, explore creativity and develop abilities with potential long-term value.
Her documentary was created to preserve the story of the program, show its impact and encourage others to continue similar outreach efforts.
Representing Cypress at the 2026 Gold Medal Summit
Chada was officially recognized during the three-day Congressional Award Gold Medal Summit in Washington, D.C., where recipients met fellow honorees, civic leaders and members of Congress.
The annual gathering recognizes Gold Medal recipients in front of their families and peers while giving young people opportunities to discuss public service, leadership and civic engagement.
“I had the opportunity to meet other Gold Medal recipients from across the country and speak directly with members of Congress about service and civic engagement,” Chada said. “It was very inspiring to be surrounded by so many students who are similarly passionate about making a difference in their communities. It was a great experience.”
For Chada, the summit marked both the completion of a demanding goal and an opportunity to see how other young people were addressing needs in their own communities.
It also placed a Cypress Woods High School student among a national group of young leaders recognized for sustained service and personal development.
Mentors Helped Guide the Journey
Although the Congressional Award is built around individual goal-setting, Chada credited mentors and educators with helping her stay focused throughout the process.
“The Congressional Award gave me a way to grow while giving back to others and I’m very grateful for the opportunities and people that made the experience possible,” Chada said. “I’d especially like to thank Professor Lalsinghani for serving as my mentor and guiding me during my Congressional Award journey, and Mrs. Rivard, my teacher and National Honor Society sponsor at Cy Woods, for her encouragement and support.”
Her comments reflect a familiar truth across the Cy-Fair community: major student accomplishments are often supported by teachers, mentors, families and organizations willing to invest their time and encouragement.
Chada’s recognition also gives younger Cypress students a clearer picture of what long-term community service can look like. It can begin with an interest in art, science, education or healthcare and develop into a structured effort that reaches people close to home and around the world.
As Cypress Woods High School celebrates Shri Chada’s 2026 Congressional Award Gold Medal, her journey stands as a reminder that meaningful service rarely happens all at once. It grows through consistent work, clear goals and a willingness to use personal talents in ways that benefit others.
Stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for more Cypress student achievements, Cy-Fair ISD news and community stories.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
