[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 46 (Friday, April 1, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E606]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE 2010-2011 CONGRESSIONAL YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR 500 
        HOURS OF OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY--BEN CHOU

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. SAM JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 1, 2011

  Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure and 
privilege to inform the Members of the United States House of 
Representatives that the students of the 2010-2011 Congressional Youth 
Advisory Council (CYAC) from the Third District of Texas have completed 
a total of 500 community service hours, fulfilling and far-surpassing 
the requirements of their assigned CYAC in the Community service 
project.
  This year 46 students from public, private, and home schools in 
grades 10 through 12 made their voices heard by joining CYAC. As the 
Third District's young ambassadors to Congress, these bright high 
school students met with me on a quarterly basis to discuss current 
events and public policy. These impressive young people recognize an 
important truth: the heart of public service is found when giving back 
to the community. CYAC students volunteered their time and talents with 
over 30 organizations including Adopt-A-Highway, Habitat for Humanity, 
Meals on Wheels, Teen Court, and the USO, to name a few. As one student 
shared, ``CYAC in the Community has allowed me to realize my calling to 
serve those in the U.S. Armed Forces.'' I am beyond thrilled that CYAC 
has helped students unleash their full potential and chase their 
dreams.
  President George H.W. Bush once said, ``A volunteer is a person who 
can see what others cannot see; who can feel what most do not feel. 
Often, such gifted persons do not think of themselves as volunteers, 
but as citizens--citizens in the fullest sense: partners in 
civilization.''
  With this statement as a benchmark, I am proud to congratulate the 
members of the 2010-2011 Congressional Youth Advisory Council for 
showing themselves to be outstanding young citizens of this nation. It 
is my privilege to submit summaries of their work to the Congressional 
Record to be preserved for posterity and antiquity. To these young 
public servants, thank you, and keep up the great work! I salute you!
  A copy of each submitted student summary follows:

       Volunteering at places is an experience that teaches you to 
     help people. But just volunteering at one place isn't enough 
     and wouldn't be a great enough experience. Volunteering at 
     multiple places means that you have both the time to 
     volunteer and the want to help people. I'm one of those 
     people that volunteered at multiple places. The first place 
     that I volunteered at was at the Haggar Carnival. The second 
     place I volunteered at was at the Sheraton Hotel at Downtown 
     Dallas to help with the event, Love For Kids. The first place 
     I volunteered at was at the Haggar Carnival. Haggar was my 
     elementary school, so going there to volunteer was a 
     nostalgic feeling. Arriving there, the jobs I received were 
     with helping with activities, manning stands and moving items 
     around. The second place I volunteered at was at the event, 
     Love For Kids, at the Sheraton Hotel. There, during the time 
     when Santa would be coming in a few weeks to bring joy and 
     presents to little children, we were being little helpers by 
     helping wrap presents and move the presents into big boxes to 
     move them down to trucks to be taken to the little children 
     waiting for Santa to come.
     --Ben Chou.

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