Special to IFN
South Iredell High School senior Nachammai Annamalai has received the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of her volunteer work with the Mooresville Public Library and Mooresville Youth Council.
Congressman Patrick McHenry awarded Annamalai the highest honor for youth civilians on October 23.
Applicants commit themselves to at least two years of goal setting and community involvement. Through the process, Annamalai completed 400 hours of voluntary public service, including time at the Mooresville Public Library and Mooresville Youth Council; 200 hours of personal development; 200 hours of physical fitness; and a five-day, four-night exploration trip.
In 2023, she worked with the Teen Librarian to offer a series of virtual and in-house STEM programs featuring experts in STEM fields. The series, Pathways to STEM, was held weekly and was recorded to be accessible for all participants. The series offered participants opportunities to learn about STEM workforce development and the ability to network with professionals in the field.
“From beginning to end, she showed maturity and professionalism far beyond her years in the development and implementation of the series,” said Megan Mosher, teen librarian at Mooresville Public Library. “She took on additional responsibilities to make sure it was extremely successful – from recruiting efforts to coordinating schedules and serving as the moderator at each event.”
The series reached more than 120 participants in more than 14 different countries. The effort led to Annamalai being awarded the Aspirations in Computing National Award from the National Center for Women in Informatics and Technology.
“She’s an ambitious, creative, brilliant teen who has impressed me from the get-go with her passion and drive for STEM and giving back to the community,” said Mosher. “I am so proud of her and cannot wait to see what the future holds in store for her.”
Annamalai also participated in the Mooresville Youth Council during the 2023-2024 school year. She assisted with several events, including A Classic Christmas and initiatives such as the Crafting Hope with Zippy winter collection drive.
“Annamalai is a very smart young lady who will go far in life and accomplish amazing things,” said Youth Council Adviser Nick Lynch. “She has contributed so much to her community already and she hasn’t graduated high school yet. We are so proud of her for receiving the Congressional Gold Medal!”
Only 724 youth nationwide were awarded the gold medal in 2024, according to the Congressional Award website. She is one of just 21 recipients in North Carolina this year.