[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 13 (Wednesday, February 9, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E198]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    COMMENDATION OF CORMAC O'CONNOR

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DENNIS MOORE

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 9, 2005

  Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate a 
young student from the Third District of Kansas who has achieved 
national recognition for exemplary volunteer service in his community. 
Cormac O'Connor of Prairie Village has just been named one of the top 
honorees in the state of Kansas by the 2005 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. This is truly an extraordinary honor, as more than 
20,000 young people across the country were considered for recognition 
this year.
  Cormac is being recognized for implementing an intergenerational arts 
program that brought senior citizens and at-risk children together for 
classes in visual arts, movement, theater, and jazz.
  In light of 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 about how we 
can work together at the local level to ensure the health and vitality 
of our towns and neighborhoods. Young volunteers like Cormac are 
inspiring examples to all of us, and are among our brightest hopes for 
a better tomorrow.
  Mr. Speaker, the program that brought this young role model to our 
attention--The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards--was created by 
Prudential Financial 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 eight years, the program has become the Nation's largest youth 
recognition effort based solely on community service, with more than 
170,000 youngsters participating since its inception.
  Cormac should be extremely proud to have been singled out from such a 
large group of dedicated volunteers. I applaud Cormac for his 
initiative in seeking to make his community a better place to live, and 
for the positive impact he has had on the lives of others. His 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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