[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 5, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E788]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


             TRIBUTE TO SARA WAUGH VOICE OF DEMOCRACY WINNER

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                           HON. SUE W. KELLY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 5, 1995
  Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to share an award-winning essay 
by Ms. Sara Waugh, a young constituent of mine, who was recently 
recognized for her outstanding talent by the Veterans of Foreign Wars 
of the United States. Having said this, I commend this piece to my 
colleagues:
                         My Vision for America

       If I close my eyes and think of America, I imagine the 
     country to be a sturdy, but still young, oak tree. The roots 
     of our country are education, on which all else grows. The 
     trunk of the tree and the branches represent the social 
     environment of the people. The green leaves on my Tree of 
     America symbolize culture.
       First--the roots. In my vision for America, I see the 
     roots, the educational system, spreading out--growing, 
     forming a steady base. Education must be firmly entrenched in 
     society if there is to be any progress. Already, this country 
     has one of the best education systems in the world. But I 
     imagine that it will get even better. The old adage that, 
     ``it takes an entire village to raise a child'' is true. In 
     my vision of America's future, I see increasing community 
     involvement in reaching educational goals.
       As the roots of the tree become more established and 
     stronger, the trunk and branches will also grow. I believe 
     that the social environment of the people can be equated to 
     the branches of my tree. As education becomes more 
     encompassing and complete, involving not only the children 
     and teachers, but also parents, businessmen, and other 
     citizens, the country's problems will be eradicated. 
     Pollution, unemployment, crime and other social ills will 
     dwindle with the loss of ignorance.
       Finally, as the overall environment improves, the culture 
     will flourish. In my vision for America, culture is 
     symbolized by the green leaves of the oak tree. The culture 
     of America is the most visible part of our country. It is 
     what people see from a distance, across the ocean, like the 
     full branches of an oak across a wide meadow. But not only 
     does culture add to the beauty of the country, it also 
     energizes the entire community, just as the leaves catch the 
     sun's golden rays and turn them into nourishment.
       Although travelers seeing the Tree of America from afar may 
     only notice the waiving leaves, we citizens should realize 
     how much educational effort made the vision possible--and 
     this hard work will continue the growth of our oak in the 
     future seasons.
       The parts of a tree are in a delicate balance--the roots 
     draw raw materials to grow a strong trunk and branches, and 
     these in turn support the leaves. But without the vital 
     energy from the leaves, the rest of the tree would die. 
     Similarly, without culture, America would not be the 
     marvelous country it is. We would be just another spot on the 
     map. In our national tree, the educational system takes 
     unrefined human resources and processes them into socially 
     useful ``nutrients.'' These nutrients are what create the 
     diverse culture that is uniquely American.
       In America, the sun is a symbol of hope. Hope is the 
     unifying force in my vision for America--it illuminates the 
     future, and with it, all things are possible.
       in the future, I predict an increase in involvement and 
     concern for education. With that added involvement, the lives 
     of all citizens will improve, and the Tree of America will be 
     in full bloom.
       This is my vision for America--we will be a durable and 
     magnificent tree in the world forest.
     

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