[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 25 (Wednesday, March 8, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E241]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING CHAVIS NEWMAN-KEANE OF ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. DON YOUNG

                               of alaska

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 8, 2000

  Mr. YOUNG of Alaska. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to congratulate 
and honor a young Alaska student from my district who has achieved 
national recognition for exemplary volunteer service in his community. 
Chavis Newman-Keane of Anchorage, Alaska has just been named one of my 
state's top honorees in The 2000 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards 
program, an annual honor conferred on the most impressive student 
volunteers in each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
  Mr. Chavis Newman-Keane is being recognized for his hard work and 
dedication in implementing an entertainment program called ``Musical 
Smiles'' to cheer up elderly residents of two-assisted living 
facilities. He has volunteered his time by conducting a piano recital 
every week and has recruited other musicians to join in his program.
  In light of numerous statistics that indicate Americans today are 
less involved in their communities than they once were, it's vital that 
we encourage and support the kind of selfless contribution this young 
citizen has made. People of all ages need to think more about how we, 
as individual citizens, can work together at the local level to ensure 
the health and vitality of our towns and neighborhoods. Young 
volunteers like Mr. Newman-Keane are inspiring examples to all of us, 
and are among our brightest hopes for a better tomorrow.
  The program that brought this young role model 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 five years, the program has become the nation's 
largest youth recognition effort based solely on community service, 
with nearly 75,000 youngsters participating since its inception.
  Mr. Newman-Keane should be extremely proud to have been singled out 
from such a large group of dedicated volunteers. I heartily applaud Mr. 
Newman-Keane for his initiative in seeking to make his community a 
better place to live, and for the positive impact he has had on the 
lives of others. He has demonstrated a level of commitment and 
accomplishment that is truly extraordinary in today's world, and 
deserves our sincere admiration and respect. His actions show that 
young Americans can, and do, play important roles in our communities, 
and that America's community spirit continues to hold tremendous 
promise for the future.

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