[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 23643-23644]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  CONGRATULATING MEGAN SMITH, DARLENE TURNER AND DAWN YERGER ON THEIR 
     SELECTION AS PARTICIPANTS IN THE VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE TEEN 
                      CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON, DC

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 30, 1999

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce today, the 
selection of three teens from Northwest Indiana to participate in the 
Voices Against Violence Teen Conference in Washington, D.C.
  Megan Smith, a senior at Chesterton high school was selected along 
with Darlene Turner and Dawn Yerger, both seniors at Emerson School of 
the Performing Arts in Gary. These three teens will join over 400 
youths from across the country as they work with lawmakers to develop 
youth violence prevention strategies.
  The interest that has surrounded this conference is proof enough to 
me that our teenagers believe that preventing youth violence is a top 
priority, and want to be empowered in creating solutions to this 
emerging national crisis.
  These three students represent the very best in our young people and 
I eagerly look forward to working with them during their trip to 
Washignton. I have the utmost confidence that these three students will 
represent Northwest Indiana and the First Congressional District with 
dignity and leadership.

[[Page 23644]]

  Megan Smith is a senior at Chesterton High School in Chesterton. 
Megan ranks first in her class of 439 students. She has excelled in 
varsity basketball and soccer at Chesterton. Megan is also active in 
her church, student government, SADD, and Chesterton's academic 
superbowl team.
  Darlene Turner is a senior at the Emerson School of the Performing 
Arts in Gary where she ranks in the top quarter of her class. Darlene 
is active in a number of extracurricular activities at school, 
including the academic superbowl and spellbowl teams, Christians in 
Action, and the National Honor Society. She is also involved in her 
community as a church youth leader and a member of the Gary Civic Youth 
Orcestra.
  Dawn Yerger is also a senior at Emerson School of the Performing Arts 
in Gary. Dawn ranks in the top quarter of her class and is active in 
extracurricular activities including National Honor Society, Spanish 
Club, Science Club, and Christians in Action. She is also involved in 
The Jesus Club, the International Thespian Society, and the Delta Teen 
Lift Organization.
  Congratulations to these three exceptional young ladies and I look 
forward to their trip to our Nation's Capital.

                          ____________________