[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 22, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1161-E1162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   A TRIBUTE TO ``KID'' KELLY COLOME

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 22, 2011

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize ``Kid'' Kelly 
Colome.
  Kelly Colome was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico to hard working 
parents who traveled from Dominican Republic in search of a better 
life. His father, who had a partial college education, took a job as a 
cook to support his young family. Kelly's mother was a hard working 
Christian mother who always made sure to take her four children to 
school, church, and family activities despite her constant suffering 
from chronic asthma since childhood. Kelly learned the value of hard 
work and efforts from having to go to school with his older brother at 
the age of 3. He fought and worked hard with his mother on progressing 
and skipping a grade to attend the same school as his brother.
  In 1988, his parents moved with the family of six to Washington 
Heights, New York, where his father found a good art school for his son 
Kelly to continue his education and love for art and design.
  In 1990, Kelly was accepted to the High School of Art and Design 
without having taken any formal art classes. He joined the high school 
baseball team and began practicing the sport of boxing simultaneously. 
He was able to pay for his boxing membership costs with his part time 
Saturday job at Isabella Geriatric Center on the Meals on Wheels 
neighborhood elderly meals program. Later that year, he continued 
practicing only boxing because he was more passionate towards this 
sport and the personal challenges involved with practicing the sport.
  In 1994, he graduated from high school at the age of sixteen. He 
studied advertising design at New York City College of Technology while 
practicing boxing, working part time, and still finding time to 
socialize with family and friends. In 1997, he obtained an Associate's 
degree and in 2001, he earned a Bachelors of Technology in 
Communications Design.

[[Page E1162]]

  The birth of his first child in 1999 helped him mature as a young man 
and he obtained a fulltime job as a dietary worker at the senior 
citizens center where he had been employed for almost ten years.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Mr. Colome for his 
extraordinary accomplishments and spirit which reflect the best our 
nation has to offer.

                          ____________________