[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 73 (Tuesday, June 13, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E988]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                GUAM'S YOUTH MONTH ISLAND LEADERSHIP DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 13, 2000

  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, each year, Guam's Department of Education 
celebrates April as Youth Month with several activities, including an 
oratorical contest, a student exchange program, a school showcase, a 
youth conference, and the much-anticipated Island Leadership Day, 
during which students assume the roles of Guam's public, private, and 
military leaders for a day. In coordination with these sectors of our 
community, the activity gives middle- and high-school students the 
opportunity to play ``boss'' at participating offices and agencies. 
From senators and company accountants to military colonels and hospital 
nurses, selected students shadow such career men and women to 
experience an entire day's work.
  On the morning of April 26, 2000, three high school students looking 
sharp and studious, ready to take on the challenge, walked in my 
office. They were Guam's student Washington Delegate William B. Jones, 
a senior from George Washington High School, Jonathan Pador, also a GW 
senior, who was my student District Director, and Madelene Marinas, a 
senior from the Academy of Our Lady of Guam, who was my student 
Communications Director. Their eagerness--tempered by a not surprising 
bit of nervousness--took me back to my own high school days and to the 
very first Island Leadership Day, for which I earned the privilege to 
be a senator for a day.
  After arriving at the legislative session hall on that day in 1964, I 
made a bee line for the desk of my hero, Senator Antonio B. Won Pat, 
who, in 1965, was elected as Guam's first delegate to Congress. In 
1972, Congress recognized the Guam delegate and Mr. Won Pat served in 
that office until 1984. Perhaps without realizing it, I took my dreams 
a step further and began setting my goals on that first Island 
Leadership Day in 1964. To the extent that Island Leadership Day is 
intended to introduce and inspire students to leadership positions in 
the community, I am proud to say that I was among many over the years 
who were inspired.
  With the enthusiastic support of Guam's public, private and military 
sectors, more than 300 students from nearly every public, private and 
DoDEA middle and high school took part in Island Leadership Day 2000. 
At the Office of the Governor, in the pre-existing official order of 
precedence, Student Lieutenant Governor Ellen Randall, an Academy of 
Our Lady of Guam senior, had the opportunity to double as the Acting 
Governor of Guam. Her student special assistant that day was Bishop 
Baumgartner Middle School student, Maya Lujan. Meanwhile, at the Guam 
Legislature, the Student Speaker, Lourena Yco, also of Bishop 
Baumgartner, was also Guam's Student Acting Lieutenant Governor. In 
all, thousands of Guam's students participated in the various 
activities of Youth Month, each planned and coordinated by student 
leaders themselves. In particular, the Youth Month Central Planning 
Committee, was made up of students from Southern High School, 
specifically Cherika Chargualaf, president; Jermaine Alerta, vice 
president; Erwin Agar, secretary; Joseph Cruz, treasurer; and Angela 
Tamayo, activities coordinator. In having planned and executed a very 
impressive and successful schedule of varied events, our youth 
genuinely embodied in this year's Youth Month theme, ``I Manhoben i 
Isla-ta, i Fuetsan i Tiempo-ta--The Youth of Our Island, the Strength 
of Our time.''
  Our youth are the stepping stones toward a bright future. Oftentimes 
we hear that children are our future. And indeed they are. Today they 
play our roles, but tomorrow those roles will be theirs. Seeing these 
success-bound students taking roles in the different career areas gives 
me a wonderful vision of Guam's future.

                          ____________________