Is a silver stem crest award still thought highly of especially if I put it on my personal statement as I was hoping to have gotten a gold award?
Of course it is! CREST itself is very known so even if you got that on your personal statement/CV, employers/universities will recognise it. Not everyone gets a CREST award which is why even if you got a bronze, it would be really good.
I say this because I got a silver award too (didn't put it on my PS) and I still got into my first choice.