"Honoring Maine's Outstanding Teen Volunteers"

Statement

One of the greatest privileges of serving Maine in the United State Senate is the opportunity I have to meet outstanding young people from our state who are devoting their time and energy to serving their local communities. Whether we meet in Washington or at home, I always come away from these meetings inspired by their commitment and encouraged for the future of our state and nation.

I recently had the opportunity to meet two such remarkable young people - Krysta Moulton of Athens and Laurianne Murphy of Lewiston - when they were in Washington to receive the 2010 Prudential Spirit of Community Award, which recognizes students for exemplary volunteerism and community service. Out of more than 21,000 nominees nationwide, only two students from each state are selected for this honor.

Krysta is a 17-year-old junior at Madison Area Memorial High School who has dedicated her time and energy to raising funding and awareness about the AIDS crisis in Africa. She says that she first became inspired in eighth grade while she was researching the AIDS epidemic for a school project. Krysta also loves to bake, and she began to raise money by selling baked goods and treats at her local school. She has invested some of her proceeds and has raised more than $1,000 so far for AIDS charities.

She has also created educational displays at community events and the Skowhegan State Fair in order to inform others about the devastating impact of the AIDS crisis, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. She has used her talent and creativity to make a positive difference in the lives of people in need who live half a world away. Krysta's commitment shows that local efforts can have a global impact.

Laurianne, 13, is an eighth-grader at Lewiston Middle School. Her community service takes the form of volunteering to help care for infants and young children at the YMCA's childcare center. Laurianne, whose mother works at the YMCA, says she spent a lot of time there during her childhood and wanted to be part of helping other young people have the same positive experiences there that she did. Her love of children inspired her to complete a YMCA babysitting course to become a certified babysitter.

Once she was successfully certified, she began visiting the YMCA's childcare center regularly, and took it upon herself to help out whenever she could. Before long, she was doing almost everything the adult caregivers were doing. She rocked and played with the babies, cleaned them up after snack time, and put them down for naps. She also helped with the toddlers - assisting at mealtime, reading stories, helping with art projects - and she always did her best to make sure they were well cared for and were having fun. She continues to volunteer her time at the childcare center, and says she hopes to one day become a kindergarten teacher.

The energy and dedication demonstrated by both of these young women are helping to make a positive difference in their communities and around the world, and their efforts will have a lasting effect on those whose lives they have touched. Krysta and Laurianne both possess great compassion and integrity, and their desire to serve others is admirable.

Our state is fortunate to have such promising young people, and even more fortunate still that they are not alone. These two young women exemplify the tremendous capabilities of our youth. Communities across Maine and all of America are full of young people making a positive difference. I see it everywhere, and it continues to reaffirm my faith in our next generation of leaders and in our country's bright future.

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