[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 140 (Thursday, October 8, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1959-E1960]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           A TRIBUTE TO THE STREET-LEVEL YOUTH MEDIA PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LUIS V. GUTIERREZ

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 7, 1998

  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Street-
Level Youth Media program for their designation as a recipient of the 
``Coming Up Taller'' Award. The Annual ``Coming Up Taller'' Awards are 
sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the President's 
Committee on the Arts and the Humanities to showcase cultural 
excellence and enhance the availability of out-of-school arts and 
humanities programs to children, especially those with limited 
resources.
  Street-Level provides a concrete example of how after-school, weekend 
and summer arts programs are effectively used by communities in 
prevention strategies for children and youth.
  Street-Level began in 1993 as a vision of a small group of artists 
who wanted to create a hands-on program that would provide free access 
to emerging technologies. Children and young adults, with the help of 
computers, cameras, video, radio and other mediums of media art and 
technology, were given a forum for self-expression, communication and 
social change.

[[Page E1960]]

  Today, that vision has become a reality. Through their collaboration 
with National Public Radio, The Field Museum of Chicago, Gallery 37 and 
Public Broadcasting Service, among others, Street-Level is able to 
serve more than 1,000 children and young adults in Chicago. Thanks to 
their association with these well-known entities, we have been graced 
with historical documentaries, innovative animation and multicultural 
education resources.
  Programs like Street-Level Youth Media deserve our recognition. 
Programs such as these are proactive, promote a child's creative 
interests and develop critical thinking skills. As we embark into the 
Twenty-First Century, our challenge should be to replicate exemplary 
programs like Street-Level so that we may have an able Twenty-First 
Century citizenry.
  I applaud the work that you do and I am hopeful that your creative 
energy will follow your lives and make our world richer. 
Congratulations.

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