[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 24161]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      CONGRATULATIONS FOR ABINGTON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ALLYSON Y. SCHWARTZ

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 27, 2005

  Ms. SCHWARTZ of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, as the proud congressional 
representative of Abington Township, a township that was recently named 
one of the 100 best communities for young people by America's Promise--
the Alliance for Youth.
  The Alliance for Youth and its Founding Chairman, General Colin 
Powell, launched this first-ever national competition to pay tribute to 
the communities working to empower and advance our Nation's youth. And, 
there is no doubt that Abington Township worked hard to earn this 
honorable distinction.
  I have had the privilege of representing Abington; first from my seat 
in the Pennsylvania State Senate and now as a member of Congress. Over 
the years, I have seen first-hand the community's unity, especially 
when it comes to advancing the lives of its young people.
  Together, Abington's school district, police department, community 
organizations, businesses, and residents have worked hand-in-hand to 
create an environment that embraces its young residents. They've 
established the Abington Community Taskforce, which is comprised of 
parents, caregivers, religious and civic leaders and has launched 
programs to teach effective parenting skills, create tolerance and 
respect, and promote community safety. They've successfully established 
cooperative agreements between the school district and police 
department, including an anti-drug program and joint fundraising 
challenges. And, they've created the Community Partnership of Youth and 
Adults to mobilize community spirit and participation.
  Abington was included on the America's Promise list because it has 
demonstrated true public leadership with regard to the needs of 
children. And, we in Congress must make sure to encourage and support 
these kinds of grassroots, community-based efforts, like that in 
Abington, because they play an important role in ensuring that our 
young people have the strength of character and tools necessary to 
succeed.
  Mr. Speaker, I couldn't be prouder of Abington for the outstanding 
work it has done on behalf of young people, and I look forward to 
working too with area officials to make sure our neighborhood remains a 
safe and caring environment.
  So again, congratulations to Abington on their selection as one of 
the 100 Best Communities for Young People. Keep up the good work!

                          ____________________