[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 158 (Wednesday, November 10, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14583-S14584]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    BOISE MODEL PROGRAM NAMED 1999 PRESIDENT'S SERVICE AWARD HONOREE

 Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, every year the President's Service 
Award honors volunteers for their efforts directed at solving critical 
social problems facing today's communities. This year, Hewlett 
Packard's Hispanic Student Outreach program, based in Boise, ID, has 
been named one of 21 honorees. This unparalleled distinction is the 
highest honor given annually by the President of the United States for 
volunteerism. The award is sponsored by the Points of Light Foundation 
and the Corporation for National Service.
  As a 1999 honoree, program representatives traveled to Washington, 
DC, to participate in awards festivities October 13-15. This trip 
included a Capitol Hill Reception, an awards dinner and the 
participation in 1999 President's Service Awards Ceremony.
  In 1995, Hewlett Packard employees in Boise, ID, started the Hispanic 
Student Outreach Program (HSOP) because they were concerned about the 
alarming 60 to 70 percent high school dropout rate among Hispanic 
youths. Based on the adopt-a-school concept, the program matches 
Hewlett Packard employees with teachers and students at a local middle 
school. The volunteers act as role models, motivating and encouraging 
the students to stay in school. The HSOP is the only program of its 
kind in Idaho. Through this program more than 250 Hewlett Packard 
volunteers have touched the lives of nearly 1,600 Hispanic students.
  The program includes many activities, one of which is Career Day. 
These educational field trips for 7th and 8th grade students include 
the students to Hewlett Packard offices for hands-on science 
experiments, job shadowing and computer lab sessions, local science 
center trips, and university campus talks and tours. The college campus 
trips have proven especially significant by allowing the Hispanic 
middle school students to interact with Hispanic college students. 
Another effective program is the after school math tutoring program 
which pays local college students to tutor younger students. 
Professionals are also brought into the schools monthly to talk about 
career opportunities and the importance of math, science and writing 
skills beyond middle school.

[[Page S14584]]

  Elena Tsuxton, the founder and Chairperson for the HSOP, commented 
that the ``program is absolutely thrilled to be receiving the 
President's Service Award.'' She saw it as a ``validation of our 
efforts that we are definitely meeting a critical need in our community 
and state. If we can help one more Hispanic student to finish school 
and go out to college, we will have met the HSOP program vision.''
  The President's Service Awards were created as the President's 
Volunteer Action Award in 1982 to honor outstanding individuals and 
organizations engaged in volunteer service directed at solving critical 
social problems while calling public attention to the contributions 
made by the nation's 93 million volunteers. In 1999, more than 3,500 
nominations were submitted and reviewed in four activity areas: human 
needs, environmental needs, educational improvement, and public safety. 
A select panel of distinguished Americans judged the nominations based 
on achievement, meeting community needs innovation and mobilizing 
others to serve.
  Mr. President, I congratulate this Idaho volunteer program for 
receiving this well deserved honor and thank them for their service to 
Idaho and its youth.

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