[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 90 (Thursday, June 30, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1406]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO MISS MARTHA HARRIS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BILL SHUSTER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 29, 2005

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Miss Martha 
Harris, 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 of 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 be have responded in a similar 
manner? In the case of our winners, we think the answer is yes.''
  Miss Martha Harris is a junior at Altoona High school. She is a 
editor and serves on the staff of the school newspaper, yearbook, a 
literary magazine. As a copy editor of the yearbook, she supervises 
more than 25 students. Harris who is totally blind, frequently speaks 
to parents of blind children and the sighted public concerning the need 
for Braille texts and blindness awareness. She is active in Young Life 
and helps read scriptures for services at her church.
  Mr. Speaker, we would like to congratulate Miss Martha Harris on her 
outstanding achievements in community service and we are proud to have 
her as one of our constituents.

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