[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 25 (Wednesday, March 8, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E245]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING REBECCA DICKISON 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 her community. 
Rebecca Dickison 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.
  Ms. Dickison is being recognized for her hard work and dedication in 
collecting new and used books and organizing a reading corner for 
children at the Intermission Crisis Nursery. She has volunteered her 
time to bring happiness and joy to those in need.
  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 Ms. Dickison 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.
  Ms. Dickison should be extremely proud to have been singled out from 
such a large group of dedicated volunteers. I heartily applaud Ms. 
Dickison for her initiative in seeking to make her community a better 
place to live, and for the positive impact she has had on the lives of 
others. She has demonstrated a level of commitment and accomplishment 
that is truly extraordinary in today's world, and deserves our sincere 
admiration and respect. Her 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.

                          ____________________