[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 6] [Senate] [Page 8922] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]IN RECOGNITION OF PENNSYLVANIA'S TOP TWO YOUTH VOLUNTEERS Mr. SANTORUM. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize Pennsylvania's top two youth volunteers for the 1999 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, a nationwide program that honors young people for outstanding acts of volunteerism. Jessica Miley, a junior at McDowell High School in Erie and Dustin Good, a seventh-grade student at Pottstown Intermediate School were named State Honorees, an honor conferred on only one high school student and one middle-level student in each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Jessica is being honored for her extraordinary efforts to save the lives of at-risk youth. Certified by the Erie County Department of Health as a Prevention Educator to teach students in local high schools and middle schools about preventing HIV and AIDS, she designs her own programs around topics such as abstinence, sexual risks, peer pressure, self-esteem and the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Jessica spends 12 to 15 hours a week on her efforts during the school year and 40 hours a week during the summer. Dustin is being recognized for his role in ``Project Reach-Out,'' a group comprised of students who want to make a difference in their community. As part of this effort, Dustin spent many hours promoting the group's activities to his student body, recruiting volunteers, attending planning meetings and working on special events. Among these events was a prom for residents of a local nursing home, as well as an ``adoption'' of a needy family in the community. Through fundraising efforts, the group provided the family with food, clothes and toys. It is vital that we, as individual communities, encourage and support the kind of selfless contributions that these young people have demonstrated. People of all ages need to think more about how, as individual citizens, we can work together at the local level to ensure the health and vitality of our towns and neighborhoods. Young volunteers like Jessica and Dustin are inspiring examples to all of us and are among our brightest hopes for a better tomorrow. The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program was created in 1995 by The Prudential Insurance Company of America, in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, to impress upon all youth volunteers that their contributions are critical and to inspire other young people to follow their example. In only four years, the program has become the nation's largest youth recognition effort based solely on community service, with more than 50,000 youth participating. I commend Jessica Miley and Dustin Good for the leadership they have demonstrated in seeking to make their communities better places to live. I would also like to salute the following eight young people in Pennsylvania who were named Distinguished Finalists in the program; Eric Ford, Havertown; Drew Harris, Dresher; Tiffanie Hawkins, Newtown; Anne Heller, New Holland; Kari Knight, Sugarloaf; Tabitha Kulish, Lancaster; Jennifer Michelstein, Kingston; and Lisa Podgurski, Washington. These youth have exhibited a level of commitment and accomplishment that is truly extraordinary, and they deserve our sincere admiration and respect. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in commending these fine young people who have demonstrated that young Americans can, and do, play important roles in their communities and that America's community spirit continues to hold tremendous promise for the future. ____________________