[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 56 (Tuesday, May 9, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E683-E684]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SALUTE TO ROBYN STRUMPF OF NORTHRIDGE, CA, SELECTED FOR THE 2000 
                 PRUDENTIAL SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY AWARDS

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 9, 2000

  Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate and honor a 
young student from my district who has achieved national recognition 
for exemplary volunteer service in her community. Robyn Strumpf of 
Northridge, CA, 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.
  Miss Strumpf, a seventh grader at Sierra Canyon Middle School in 
Chatsworth, CA, is being recognized for creating ``Project Books and 
Blankies,'' a service project that aims to fight illiteracy by 
providing books along with handmade blankets to children. Robyn's 
inspiration for the project goes back to when she was struggling with 
reading in school. After overcoming her own reading problems, she 
realized that illiteracy was a significant problem facing children 
today. Robyn began asking local businesses and bookstores for book and 
quilt donations, so she could start collecting

[[Page E684]]

books and sewing quilts that would be attractive to children. Through 
``Project Books and Blankies'', she donates blankets, along with a 
basket of books, to children's educational programs in her area. Robyn 
also reads aloud to children once a week, in an effort to show them the 
importance of books.
  In light of numerous statistics that indicate Americans today are 
less involved in their communities than they once were, it's vital that 
we recognize and support the kind of selfless contribution this young 
citizen has made. People of all ages need to think more about how we 
can work together at the local level to ensure the health and vitality 
of our towns and neighborhoods. Young volunteers like Miss Strumpf 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 in 1995 by The 
Prudential Insurance Company of America in partnership with the 
National Association of Secondary School Principles. It aims 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.
  Miss Strumpf should be extremely proud to have been singled out from 
such a large group of dedicated volunteers. I heartily applaud Miss 
Strumpf 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.

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