[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6276]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING MR. AIME KALANGWA

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARIO DIAZ-BALART

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 8, 2012

  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Aime 
Kalangwa, a remarkable individual who has been an inspiration in the 
Miami community.
  Aime is an 18-year-old refugee originally from the Democratic 
Republic of Congo. An ongoing civil war in his country left him, and 
his brother, orphaned by the age 15. Being the only survivors from 
their family they attempted to find political asylum in neighboring 
countries. Eventually they found refuge in the United States, and were 
brought to Miami in January of 2011.
  After arriving in the United States, Aime and his brother were 
adopted by Stephen and Melissa Kepper, constituents of Florida's 21st 
District. The Kepper's themselves are extraordinary individuals, whose 
dedication to children is unmatched. Not only did they adopt Aime and 
his brother, but they also adopted two children from Florida's foster 
care system. In August of 2011 Aime and his brother moved into their 
new home, and Aime shortly began his senior year of high school. During 
this time he had to overcome many cultural and language barriers, and 
worked daily with his tutors to pass his classes and learn English.
  One of Aime's hardest classes to learn was American history. His 
tireless efforts were enriched on a recent trip to Washington, DC, 
where he received a tour of the U.S. Capitol building from Jay Pierson 
of the Speaker's office, and visited numerous other museums and 
national landmarks. His hard work did not go unnoticed and towards the 
end of his senior year Aime received an award for Outstanding 
Achievement in American History at his Senior Awards Night. He will 
also be receiving his diploma on June 3, 2012.
  Aime now plans to attend Broward College to study Criminal Justice. 
When he graduates from the refugee program at 22 years old he has the 
possibility of obtaining U.S. citizenship. Aime has grown from an 
orphan in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to hopefully becoming a 
U.S. citizen in the very near future. He is the epitome of the American 
dream, and an inspiration to us all.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to pay tribute to Mr. Aime Kalangwa and I 
ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this outstanding 
individual.

                          ____________________