(WASHINGTON, DC)  Central Magnet School student Rachel Oppmann of Murfreesboro has been awarded The Congressional Award Gold Medal. That is Congress’ highest honor for civilian youth. This medal honors youth for their commitment to voluntary public service, as well as personal development and physical fitness.

Through The Congressional Award, Congress urges young people to challenge themselves. Any interested, motivated student, aged 14 through 24 years old, may participate in the Congressional Award by setting and achieving individually challenging goals in four program areas: Voluntary Public Service, Personal Development, Physical Fitness and Expedition/Exploration. The Congressional Award adapts to meet the needs of every participant as they set goals according to their own interests and level of abilities.  The Award is geared toward motivated, interested youth who set their own personally challenging goals and activities.

To earn their award, she completed more than 1,200 hours of community service while in high school. Her efforts benefitted The Arts Center of Cannon County, Murfreesboro Little Theatre, Barfield Crescent Park, Central Magnet School, Oaklands Park, the Rutherford County Historic Courthouse Museum, and more.

She received the 2023 Governor's Volunteer Stars Award as the top youth volunteer in Rutherford County.

Rachel is an Eagle Scout and founding member of Troop 2019, the first all-girl troop chartered by Scouts BSA.

In 2021, she completed a 9-day backpacking trek at the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, an expedition of more than 65 miles and 12,441 feet in elevation.

A senior at Central Magnet School, she is president of the Central Magnitude Robotics team which has won multiple national, state and regional titles under her leadership, and is president of the school's International Thespian Society troupe. She is a member of Youth Leadership Rutherford's Class of 2024. Rachel is also a musical theatre actor who has performed in 27 productions since 2012; she was one of 30 students to attend the Governor's School for the Arts/Theatre in 2022. She is a former member of Central's regional champion varsity tennis team.”

Rachel Oppmann has earned the Congressional Award Gold Medal. To earn the Gold Medal, each participant must complete at least 400 hours of Voluntary Public Service, which means sharing their time and talent for the betterment of the community, 200 hours of Personal Development, which can include developing social and life skills as well as interests, and 200 hours of Physical Fitness, spent in any way that improves their health and quality of life.

Additionally, they must spend at least 5 days and 4 nights exploring a new environment or culture. Rachel has been consistently working to achieve this award for over 2 years months, the minimum time frame to earn the Gold Medal.

Rachel is the daughter of Elise and Andrew Oppmann and is a senior at Central Magnet School. She currently plans to continue her education at MTSU in the Fall 2024 as a double major in mechatronics engineering and theatre.

She has two older sisters: Emily, a 2021 MTSU graduate who is a genetic counselor for Inova Health System near Washington D.C., and Sarah, a 2023 MTSU graduate who is a visual storyteller for WBIR-Channel 10 in Knoxville.