[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 65 (Thursday, May 6, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4929-S4930]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       IN RECOGNITION OF PENNSYLVANIA'S TOP TWO YOUTH VOLUNTEERS

 Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize 
Pennsylvania's top two youth volunteers for the 1999 Prudential Spirit 
of Community Awards program, a nationwide program that honors young 
people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. Jessica Miley, a junior at 
McDowell High School in Erie and Dustin Good, a seventh-grade student 
at Pottstown Intermediate School were named State Honorees, an honor 
conferred on only one high school student and one middle-level student 
in each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
  Jessica is being honored for her extraordinary efforts to save the 
lives of at-risk youth. Certified by the Erie County Department of 
Health as a Prevention Educator to teach students in local high schools 
and middle schools about preventing HIV and AIDS, she designs her own 
programs around topics such as abstinence, sexual risks, peer pressure, 
self-esteem and the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Jessica spends 12 to 
15 hours a week on her efforts during the school year and 40 hours a 
week during the summer.
  Dustin is being recognized for his role in ``Project Reach-Out,'' a 
group comprised of students who want to make a difference in their 
community. As part of this effort, Dustin spent many hours promoting 
the group's activities to his student body, recruiting volunteers, 
attending planning meetings and working on special events. Among these 
events was a prom for residents of a local nursing home, as well as an 
``adoption'' of a needy family in the community. Through fundraising 
efforts, the group provided the family with food, clothes and toys.
  It is vital that we, as individual communities, encourage and support 
the kind of selfless contributions that these young people have 
demonstrated. People of all ages need to think more about how, as 
individual citizens, we can work together at the local level to ensure 
the health and vitality of our towns and neighborhoods. Young 
volunteers like Jessica and Dustin are inspiring examples to all of us 
and are among our brightest hopes for a better tomorrow.
  The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program was created in 1995 
by The Prudential Insurance Company of America, in partnership with the 
National Association of Secondary School Principals, to impress upon 
all youth volunteers that their contributions are critical 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 youth 
participating.
  I commend Jessica Miley and Dustin Good for the leadership they have 
demonstrated in seeking to make their communities better places to 
live. I would also like to salute the following eight young people in 
Pennsylvania who were named Distinguished Finalists in the program; 
Eric Ford, Havertown; Drew Harris, Dresher;

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Tiffanie Hawkins, Newtown; Anne Heller, New Holland; Kari Knight, 
Sugarloaf; Tabitha Kulish, Lancaster; Jennifer Michelstein, Kingston; 
and Lisa Podgurski, Washington.
  These youth have exhibited a level of commitment and accomplishment 
that is truly extraordinary, and they deserve our sincere admiration 
and respect. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
commending these fine young people who have demonstrated that young 
Americans can, and do, play important roles in their communities and 
that America's community spirit continues to hold tremendous promise 
for the future.

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