[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 1 (Wednesday, January 23, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E15]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


               HONORING THE WORCESTER YOUTHBUILD PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES P. McGOVERN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 23, 2002

  Mr. McGOVERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the community of 
Worcester, Massachusetts in celebrating the graduation of five young 
adults from the Worcester YouthBuild Program.
  The Worcester YouthBuild Partnership began in 1998 under the guidance 
of Mass. Job Training, Inc. and through a grant from the United States 
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It provides 
unemployed, low-income young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who 
are not in school and have not received a high school diploma or GED 
with access to tools with which they can change their lives. YouthBuild 
Partnership provides instruction in education/GED preparation, life and 
leadership skills development, job readiness training, counseling as 
well as job development, placement assistance and construction skills.
  I would like to acknowledge the graduates of the Worcester YouthBuild 
Program: Timothy Coll, Raini Notice, Arlene Perez, Carlos Rios and 
Shayne Smith. Furthermore, I want to recognize the contribution of 
Brandon Castro who participated in the YouthBuild Program but 
tragically died before he could complete the project. Among other 
things these young adults have participated in the construction of low-
income family housing units at 41 Wall Street in Worcester, 
Massachusetts. As part of PROJECT REMEMBER, this house becomes the 
first of six housing rehabilitation/development projects to commemorate 
Worcester's six fallen firefighters.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend these young adults for taking an active part 
in their community and I am confident that their contributions will 
have a lasting positive impact. I congratulate them on their 
accomplishments and I wish them the best of luck in the future.

                          ____________________