[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 28, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E469]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN HONOR OF MS. QUEENEICE GANISON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississipi

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 28, 2001

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute 
to a young Mississippi student from my district who has achieved 
national recognition for exemplary volunteer service in her community. 
Queeneice Ganison of Greenville, Mississippi has just been named one of 
my state's top honorees in The 2001 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. Ganison is being recognized for coordinating a project to combat 
underage drinking, which included developing and presenting workshops 
and slide shows to area middle school and high school students.
  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 abut 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. Ganison 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. Over the past six years, the program has become the nation's 
largest young recognition effort based solely on community service, 
with nearly 100,000 youngsters participating since its inception.
  Ms. Ganison should be extremely proud to have been singled out from 
such a large group of dedicated volunteers. I heartily applaud Ms. 
Ganison 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.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me in saluting a great young role 
model, Ms. Queeneice Ganison.

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