[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 40 (Friday, March 6, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E585]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CONGRATULATING TRAY SMITH FOR BEING NAMED ATMORE'S ``CITIZEN OF THE 
                                 YEAR''

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JO BONNER

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 6, 2009

  Mr. BONNER. Madam Speaker, I am proud to rise today to congratulate 
my friend Tray Smith of Atmore, Alabama, for being named Atmore's 2008 
``Citizen of the Year.'' As evidenced by an outstanding list of 
accomplishments, he is one of the most exceptional young men I have 
ever known.
  Tray has a love of people and an understanding of politics that is 
certainly beyond his years. As a freshman in high school, he was given 
an opportunity to write a weekly political column for The Atmore 
Advance. He has also been an active member of the Student Government 
Association, a member of the National Honor Society and helped start a 
recycling program at Escambia County High School. In addition, Tray is 
an Eagle Scout and last year helped more than 100 citizens register to 
vote, most of them being minorities.
  Although I have known Tray for years, I have been especially proud of 
some of his more recent accomplishments. As you may know, Governor Bob 
Riley chose Tray to be the first high school intern working in his 
office in Montgomery. Additionally, as part of the Junior Statesmen of 
American Summer program at Georgetown University, Tray also attended 
the 2008 Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul, 
Minnesota. During both opportunities, Tray excelled in every way 
possible.
  Last year, however, I was especially proud to nominate Tray to serve 
as a page in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, DC. This 
is an honor that falls on only a select few high school juniors from 
throughout the nation; needless to say, he made me proud every day that 
I saw him on the floor of the U.S. Congress, and he has made south 
Alabama proud countless times as well.
  Tray's list of accomplishments reads more like someone who is three 
or four times his age. Suffice it to say, he truly represents the very 
best of our young people today. Perhaps the highest compliment I can 
pay Tray is that as a father of a teenage daughter and an 11-year-old 
son, I can only hope that my children will one day have the maturity, 
the value system and the sense of priorities as they continue to grow-
up that Tray has. There couldn't be a better role-model for them--or 
for our other young people--than Tray Smith.
  Madam Speaker, on behalf of the proud citizens of the First 
Congressional District and the entire state of Alabama, I ask my 
colleagues to join me in congratulating Mr. Tray Smith on this 
tremendous achievement. I know I speak for all my colleagues in the 
House of Representatives when I say we can't wait to see what he 
accomplishes in the next 18 years of his life.

                          ____________________