[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 124 (Wednesday, September 15, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1642]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            MONA DIXON BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB YOUTH OF THE YEAR

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                         HON. HARRY E. MITCHELL

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 15, 2010

  Mr. MITCHELL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Ms. 
Romonia Dixon of Tempe, the recipient of the 2010 Boys and Girls Club 
of America National Youth of the Year Award.
  Mona's remarkable story begins with a difficult past. For much of her 
life, her family did not have a home of their own and she moved from 
shelter to shelter to find a place to sleep at night. Sometimes the 
family was even split up in order to find enough spaces to sleep. Mona 
did not let difficult circumstances get in the way of her success, 
however. She worked hard in all aspects of her life; she excelled in 
school, she financially contributed to her family by holding a part-
time job, and she was active in Boys and Girls Clubs of the East Valley 
in Tempe, AZ.
  Dixon went on to graduate with a 3.92 GPA, placing her third in her 
class of 280. She was also captain of the basketball team and 
participated in the National Honor Society, Peer Leadership, Student 
Council and the Math Team. Dixon is currently a freshman at the Barrett 
Honors College at Arizona State University, and is well on her way to a 
planned master's degree in international retail management.
  We have something in common. She attended Tempe High School, my alma 
mater and a place I called home for 28 years as a Government teacher 
and, as I said, she is currently a freshman at ASU which is also my 
alma mater. With our similar academic paths, Congress may not be far 
behind for this young woman. This week, I had a chance to sit down and 
talk with her. I was very impressed with her commitment to her 
community and expect she will accomplish great things in the years to 
come.
  With this award, she receives a number of scholarships, but the 
meaning of this award goes far beyond that. It would have been easy for 
her to take a different path, but she made decisions that would better 
her life and that has brought her here, today.
  Madam Speaker, please join me in recognizing Mona for her tremendous 
accomplishment and for setting an example for the young people of our 
nation.

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