[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 32 (Tuesday, March 2, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2141-S2142]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  FUTURE LEADERS OF THE BIG SKY STATE

 Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, in my view, public service is the 
most noble human endeavor. Today, more than ever, we must look to the 
younger generation as leaders for tomorrow. For their commitment to 
community service, I am pleased to recognize two of Montana's young 
leaders.
  Their community work demonstrates an ability to make a difference in 
the lives of others. The work of these two young Montanans sets an 
impressive standard for their peers.
  I would like to congratulate and honor two young Montana students who 
have achieved national recognition for exemplary volunteer service in 
their communities. Mindi Kimp of Corvallis, Montana, and Jill Lombardi 
of Helena, Montana, have been named State Honorees in The 1999 
Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, an annual honor 
conferred on only one high school and one middle school student in each 
state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
  Ms. Kimp is being recognized for her work in coordinating a ``senior 
citizen prom'' for seniors living in Missoula and Ravalli counties. 
Mindi, a 4-H member and junior class president, enjoys a close 
relationship with her grandparents. In helping to plan her own Hamilton 
High School prom, she conceived the idea of a senior citizen prom. She 
believed that this would be a great way to honor grandparents and help 
restore faith in today's younger generation. Mindi worked closely with 
the Council on Aging in planning the event. She solicited donations to 
make the event free to all seniors. She also used it to provide prizes, 
decorations, and a rose for every lady. The event was so successful 
that she will speak at the State Student Council Convention on how to 
plan a senior citizen prom.

[[Page S2142]]

The event will now be held annually at Hamilton High School.
  Ms. Lombardi, a member of the Helena Youth Advisory Council, is being 
recognized for her leadership role in two projects: a skateboard park 
and ``Martin Luther King Volunteer Day.'' Jill served on and 
established the first-ever Helena Youth Advisory Council. As a member, 
Jill recruited interested skateboarders to advise the council on the 
design of the park. She also helped to obtain a $50,000 grant from the 
Turner Foundation for the park's construction. In planning the 
volunteer day, Jill worked with the council to organize activities such 
as community clean-up and youth reading programs. She recruited 
volunteers, analyzed community needs, arranged volunteer projects, and 
coordinated celebration activities. The event's success has inspired 
the council to host the event again next year.
  Young volunteers like Ms. Kimp and Ms. Lombardi are inspiring 
examples to all of us, and are among our brightest hopes for a better 
tomorrow. It is important that we recognize their achievements and 
support their contributions. Numerous statistics indicate that 
Americans today are less involved in their communities than they once 
were, and it is critical that the work of these young people is 
encouraged.
  The program that brought these young role models to our attention--
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards--was created by The 
Prudential Insurance Company of America in partnership with the 
National Association of Secondary School Principals in 1995 to impress 
upon all youth volunteers that their contributions are critically 
important and highly valued, and to inspire other young people to 
follow their example. In only four years, the program has become the 
nation's largest youth recognition effort based solely on community 
service, with more than 50,000 youngsters participating.
  Ms. Kimp and Ms. Lombardi should be extremely proud to have been 
singled out from such a large group of dedicated volunteers. As part of 
their recognition, they will come to Washington in early May, along 
with other 1999 Spirit of Community honorees from across the country. 
While here in Washington, ten will be selected as America's top youth 
volunteers of the year by a distinguished national selection committee.
  I heartily applaud Ms. Kimp and Ms. Lombardi for their initiative in 
seeking to make their communities better places to live, and for the 
positive impact they have had on the lives of Montanans. I also would 
like to salute two young people in Montana who were named Distinguished 
Finalists by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards for their 
outstanding volunteer service: Nadia Ben-Youssef and Angela Bowlds.
  All of these young people have demonstrated a level of commitment and 
accomplishment that is truly extraordinary in today's world, and 
deserve our sincere admiration and respect. These young Montana leaders 
show commendable community spirit and tremendous promise for America's 
future.

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