Prospect High student receives Congressional honor

A 17-year-old Prospect High School student received a 2026 Congressional Award Gold Medal at this year’s Gold Medal Summit, held June 8-10 in Washington, D.C.

John Ciok, a rising senior, was among those honored for their commitment to voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness, and expedition or exploration. He was part of a class of 877 honorees nationwide.

The group was also recognized in the Congressional Record.

The award requires 400 hours of voluntary public service, 200 hours of personal development, and 200 hours of physical fitness. Ciok said he began working toward that goal at age 13.

He called it one of his most valuable experiences, one that contained important life lessons.

“I learned that developing a skill takes consistent effort,” he said. “Through this experience, I learned volunteering is not just a single action but a repeated act requiring dedication.”

Ciok has logged volunteer hours working on behalf of Blood Cancer United, formerly the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. His work with the organization, which goes back four years, included planning events, meeting with businesses to talk about fundraising, hosting a blood drive, and serving on a leadership committee.

He won the organization’s Advocacy Mission Pillar Award, given for advocacy, research and patient support, after raising nearly $70,000 for blood cancer research.

The work on behalf of Blood Cancer United is personal for him.

“There has been cancer in my family,” Ciok said. “That definitely made it impactful. And then blood cancer research is a gateway to a lot of cancer research, so that makes it incredibly important.”

Ciok also took part in his school’s Associated Student Body program, helping to set up events, and volunteered with Feed My Starving Children.

His physical activity hours were fulfilled primarily through hiking in places in Illinois like Starved Rock and Matthiessen State parks, as well as trips to the Pacific Northwest.

Ciok’s seemingly indefatigable efforts extended to the governmental sphere, both in Washington and Springfield. He served as a U.S. Senate page and currently interns for State Rep. Nicolle Grasse.

Ciok said he plans to study political science along with finance or economics. His college wish list includes the University of Virginia, his top choice, along with Harvard and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Volunteering runs in Ciok’s family. His mother, Jennifer Ciok, is currently director of government relations for the Illinois Association of School Boards.

He said his parents, Jennifer and Michael, have been a tremendous help to him.

“My parents have definitely helped more than I could probably express,” he said.