[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 75 (Wednesday, June 2, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S6345]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      CITY YEAR'S 15TH ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, on June 4th hundreds of talented, 
motivated young men and women will meet in Boston to celebrate the 15th 
Anniversary of City Year. In 1989 the first group of young people 
completed a year of service to their community, inspiring what would 
become AmeriCorps. Now, 15 years later, City Year will hold its annual 
meeting in the city where it began. Since then, thirteen additional 
cities have welcomed the young idealists in red jackets and Timberland 
boots who, in their own words, ``are young enough to want to change the 
world and old enough to do it.''
   City Year recruits start each day with ``PT,'' a trademark exercise 
routine to wake up the mind and spirit to take on the challenges of the 
day. They move on to challenge the apathy in the communities they 
serve. They spend each day tackling illiteracy, tutoring, refurbishing 
buildings, improving access to health care, and changing lives in many 
other ways.
   City Year participants also work tirelessly to encourage others to 
serve, attracting volunteers through Serve-a-thons and special service 
days that focus community efforts on a particular project. They spread 
their love of service and highlight local problems that can be solved 
by working together.
   ``Cyzygy,'' their annual meeting, is a time when they celebrate 
service and discuss strategies to improve recruitment, retention and 
the quality of service. Just as they work to improve communities, they 
work to improve the way communities address their problems, and engage 
others in the search for effective solutions.
   When they launched City Year in the 1980's, Alan Khazei and Michael 
Brown had a noble vision that spending a year in service to community 
could become the norm. They foresaw a domestic Peace Corps that could 
transform lives and rebuild communities. At the time, many thought they 
were impractical dreamers. Today we know they were practical 
visionaries and we are all proud to witness the results of their 
vision. Happy Birthday, City Year!

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