[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2218-E2219]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND ADMINISTRATORS AT SUN VALLEY HIGH 
                                 SCHOOL

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. SUE WILKINS MYRICK

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, December 8, 2006

  Mrs. MYRICK. Mr. Speaker, I would like to honor and recognize the 
students, teachers and administrators at Sun Valley High School located 
in Indian Trail, North Carolina. Over the past two weeks, Sun Valley 
students have given more than $23,000 out of their pockets to help the 
less fortunate in their area. This money will go to a program called 
the Sun Valley Children's Christmas Party, which will help needy 
elementary children in their area who won't have a Christmas.
  The Sun Valley Children's Christmas Party has been helping 
impoverished children for more than three decades. It began as a small 
project to help a handful of needy families experience the joy of 
Christmas. Today, thanks to the generosity of the Sun Valley community, 
30 to 35 needy elementary children, and their families, will have a 
Happy Christmas this year.

[[Page E2219]]

  I am most impressed by this effort because it is student driven. Not 
only do Sun Valley students raise the money, but on December 14th, a 
group of students will actually pick up the children at school and take 
them to Monroe Mall where they will purchase them new clothes, shoes, 
and coats. They take the children to visit Santa, have lunch at Chick-
Fil-A, and end their visit by taking the kids to get ice cream. Later, 
Sun Valley students will shop for essential items, food, and new school 
supplies for the children, as well as toys and gifts for their brothers 
and sisters. Then on December 16th, the students will deliver all the 
gifts to the family as well as food for a Christmas feast.
  Leading this student driven program are the co-chairs of the 
Children's Christmas Party, Student Council President Alexandra Knight 
Efird, and Student Council Vice-President Paige Lillia Donham. Their 
hard work has not gone unnoticed. Likewise, the Student Council faculty 
advisors, James P. Wall IV and Christopher Martin, have also worked 
countless hours to help the students in their effort. I would like to 
recognize the efforts of students in the classes of Mr. Wall, Mr. 
Reynolds, and Mr. Faulkner. They raised the most money out of all the 
classes at Sun Valley, and Mr. Reynolds class alone raised over $2,000 
for this effort.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to say that I represent Sun Valley High 
School. In a day and age where people tend to think only of themselves, 
here is a shining example of a group of young people who know what 
Christmas is really all about. I commend them for their efforts to make 
their community a better place by helping the less fortunate during 
this holiday season. I hope that this wonderful effort will continue at 
Sun Valley for many years to come.

                          ____________________