[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 88 (Tuesday, June 28, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1388]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING MISS ALYSSA WILSON

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                           HON. BILL SHUSTER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 28, 2005

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Miss Alyssa 
Wilson, from Altoona Pennsylvania, as one of twenty national winners in 
a new award program called The Alexander Hamilton Citizenship 
Achievement Award. The award is sponsored by a new 501 (c)3 non profit 
organization, The Alexander Hamilton Friends Association (AHFA) of 
Seattle, Washington. Fourteen States were represented and amongst the 
twenty winners, Pennsylvania had three, all whom happened to be from 
Altoona Area High School. Over 200 candidates were considered for the 
award and it is a remarkable achievement for these three students and 
the Altoona Area school district.
  The Alexander Hamilton Friends Association is a non profit 
organization incorporated under the laws of the State of Washington. 
The AHFA's goal is to preserve Alexander Hamilton's legacy by 
recognizing and honoring young people who share Hamilton's strong sense 
of integrity, achievement, pragmatism, and service. For a student to 
win the award the student needs to exhibit a high degree of personal 
integrity and receive an outstanding rating in two of the five areas, 
which are: community service, school-related extracurricular activity, 
entrepreneurial skill, scholastic record, and personal achievement. 
George Cox, president of AHFA said, ``The key question we asked 
ourselves, was this: If a young Alexander Hamilton were placed in a 
situation like this student, would he have responded in a similar 
manner? In the case of our winners, we think the answer is yes.''
  Miss Alyssa Wilson is a junior at Altoona High School and has 
organized several charitable events including the MS Walk, and the 
Heart Disease Walk. She is involved in the student council and through 
it she has helped organize student functions such as the spring musical 
dance and is involved in peer mediation. She participates in marching 
band, concert band, and jazz band. She is also a member of the school 
drama team and is active at her church where she teaches at Vacation 
Bible School.
  Mr. Speaker, we would like to congratulate Miss Alyssa Wilson on her 
outstanding achievements in community service and we are proud to have 
her as one of our constituents.

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