[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 21, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H8839]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            YOUTH SUMMIT '97

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 21, 1997, the gentlewoman from North Carolina [Mrs. Clayton] is 
recognized during morning hour debates for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. CLAYTON. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House about 
an exciting and successful event that I sponsored in Ayden, NC, 
Saturday, October 18. This event, called Youth Summit '97, is an annual 
event for students that I have sponsored for the last 5 years. Each 
year, I am particularly pleased that the turnout is equal or greater 
than the one the previous year.
  This year's summit brought together an impressive number of youth; 
over 600 participated. It was certainly an inspiration to see so many 
students expressing their interests in pursuing an education. Most of 
the youth were minority students throughout eastern North Carolina. 
Many came with school or church groups, while others came with their 
parents.
  The youth summit was held this year in Pitt County at a local school 
called Ayden-Grifton High School. Over the past several years, I have 
sponsored the event in different counties exposing students throughout 
North Carolina to the seminar.
  The youth summit is designed to expose children to educational 
opportunities afforded to them, to reaffirm the importance of their 
skills and competency development, to alert the children to explore all 
job and career options they have, and to remind and to encourage 
students that they should pursue their goals to their utmost ability.
  The summit also prepares students about the entire process of 
applying to colleges, from testing procedures to the availability of 
financial aid. Because I feel that the financial aid is so important to 
students, particularly those who come from low-income homes, we 
explained to the students just exactly what has transpired in Congress 
this session regarding funding for education.
  For example, we discussed and explained the legislation enacted 
granting increases in title I funding and what effects these increases 
would have particularly on particular families. The increases included, 
$1,500 HOPE scholarships, the increase in Pell grants by 26 percent, 
the largest in the last 20 years, and 20-percent tuition tax credit for 
families with students in their third and fourth year of college and 
universities.
  These increases are so critical for North Carolina's educational 
success, and particularly important for the educationally 
disadvantaged. According to the U.S. Department of Education, North 
Carolina families will tremendously benefit from the increase in the 
scholarships and grants appropriated by title I.
  Not only was the event an informational session, but the summit was 
also a forum where several speakers made their presentation. It also 
was a social event. Several speakers included guidance counselors, 
pastors, doctors, professors, judges, county commissioners, and 
representatives from the military academy. They spoke on a wide range 
of topics, including testing, financial aid, job career opportunities, 
parent-child communication, self-esteem, service academies, and the 
church's role in the development of our youth.
  Additionally, our session three students explained just how difficult 
it was and their struggle from their path to make sure they would 
become adults.
  The youth summit reinforced how essential education is for students 
and their communities. In order to be entirely successful, however, 
students must appreciate the importance of developing values and morals 
in their life, in addition to education they receive in attending 
class.
  I am particularly pleased with the youth summit's success this year 
and I am looking forward to many future youth summits in North 
Carolina. These annual events seem to have such a positive effect, not 
only on the children, but on their parents and other communities. 
Therefore, I am also recommending to my colleagues that they do similar 
in their districts.

                          ____________________