[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 24 (Tuesday, March 10, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E331]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            NEWARK STUDENTS PRACTICE RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS

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                          HON. DONALD M. PAYNE

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 10, 1998

  Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to the students 
of New Jersey for winning the Kindness and Justice Challenge. Pupils of 
New Jersey led the nation with 96,816 acts of kindness. Students from 
my home district of Newark, New Jersey led all municipalities with 
30,615 good deeds. This is indeed an honor and a privilege to represent 
such model students.
  The competition was started 3 years ago by Newark students who wanted 
to do something about all the negative images that faced their 
communities. Today we have over 40,000 pupils in over 12,000 classrooms 
participating in the contest across the nation. Good deeds are recorded 
on the Internet to keep an accurate account. Teachers had to pitch in 
during lunch breaks and at night because not all students had access to 
computers at home.
  Newark students were led by Latoya Hedgespeth, a fifth grader at 
Madison Avenue School who recorded the most acts of kindness with 321 
goods deeds. This truly exemplifies the dream of Dr. Martin Luther 
King, Jr. and should serve as a lesson to us all. The students were 
honored by Superintendent Beverly Hall and Mayor Sharpe James.
  Mr. Speaker, I am sure that my colleagues will join me as I extend 
heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to the students of New 
Jersey.

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