Ask the Scholar

{
    "localId": "323154607",
    "label": "Young American Medals 9/21/89 [OA 8748]",
    "core": "doc",
    "dtoType": "document",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/323154607"
}

{
    "id": "323154607",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/323154607",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Young American Medals 9/21/89 [OA 8748]",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/323154607",
    "identifierLocal": "13875-009",
    "collections": [
        "Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)",
        "Mark Davis Subject Files"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/bush/gb-spe/speechwriting_davis_284337254/41-bpr-speech-davis-subj-13875-009_323154607.pdf",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/bush/gb-spe/speechwriting_davis_284337254/41-bpr-speech-davis-subj-13875-009_323154607.pdf",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/bush/gb-spe/speechwriting_davis_284337254/41-bpr-speech-davis-subj-13875-009_323154607.pdf",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "hasImages": true,
    "source": "import",
    "hasTranscription": false
}

{
    "url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/323154607",
    "naId": 323154607,
    "levelOfDescription": "fileUnit",
    "recordType": "description",
    "ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}

{
    "seq": 1,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "document",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/bush/gb-spe/speechwriting_davis_284337254/41-bpr-speech-davis-subj-13875-009_323154607.pdf",
    "mediaId": "a95e9b2e3bd5f217",
    "ocrText": "Originally Processed With FOIA(s):\nFOIA Number:\nS\nFOIA\nMARKER\nThis is not a textual record. This is used as an\nadministrative marker by the George Bush Presidential\nLibrary Staff.\nRecord Group/Collection:\nGeorge H.W. Bush Presidential Records\nCollection/Office of Origin:\nSpeechwriting, White House Office of\nSeries:\nDavis, Mark, Files\nSubseries:\nSubject File, 1989-1991\nOA/ID Number:\n13875\nFolder ID Number:\n13875-009\nFolder Title:\nYoung American Medals, 9/21/89\nStack:\nRow:\nSection:\nShelf:\nPosition:\nG\n19\n2\n7\n1\nDepartment of Justice\nADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 6 P.M. EDT\nYAM\nSATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 1988\n202-633-2395\n(TDD) 202-786-5731\nDirector William Sessions of the Federal Bureau of\nInvestigation announced today that a young woman from Texas and\na young man from Washington will receive the 1987 Young American\nMedal for Service. The 1987 Young American Medal for Bravery\nwill be awarded posthumously to a young man from Texas.\nThe medals will be presented by President Ronald Reagan at\nthe White House on a date to be announced, the Director said.\nThe medals program, begun in 1950 under an act of Congress,\nrecognizes young people for acts of bravery or conspicuous\ncommunity service. The law directs the Department of Justice to\nselect recipients and administer the program but specifies that\nthe President must personally make the presentations.\nRecipients must not have reached their 19th birthday at the\ntime of their acts of bravery or community service. Nominations\nare submitted to the Justice Department by governors or, in the\ncase of U.S. territories or the District of Columbia, by the\nappropriate chief executives.\nThe Young American Medals Committee is chaired by Director\nSessions. Its other members are Stanley E. Morris, Director of\nthe U.S. Marshals Service; Patrick S. Korten, Director of Public\n(MORE)\n- 2 -\nAffairs for the Department of Justice; and John C. Lawn,\nAdministrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration.\nChosen for achievements in 1987 to receive the Young\nAmerican Medal for Service were:\n--Sean Fox, now 19, of Ethel, Washington. Sean played\nthe leading role in establishing a food bank in Toledo,\nWashington, to serve the needy. Sean spearheaded the drive to\nset up the bank and enlisted the assistance of local community\norganizations. The food bank was a success when it opened its\ndoors in February 1987.\n--Vicki Lynn Urich, 17, of Alvin, Texas. Vicki has\ngiven many hours to cleaning up her community. Specifically, she\nhas worked on beach clean-ups, sand dune restoration projects and\nrecycling of discarded Christmas trees.\nChosen to receive the Young American Medal for Bravery was\nJohn Bankston, then 17, of Dallas, Texas, who drowned while\nhelping to rescue occupants from a children's camp bus that was\ntrapped in a flooding river. John lost his life after carrying\nanother youth whose ankle was in a cast. While the young man he\naided was saved, the river claimed 10 lives.\nFuller information about the recipients follows.\n(MORE)\n- 3 -\nSEAN THOMAS FOX\n422 Tucker Road\nEthel, Washington 98542\n(206) 978-4305\nSon of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas and Sherry Fox\nDate of birth: January 10, 1969\nSean started a food bank in Toledo, Washington, to serve the\nneedy. This idea was inspired after Sean attended a month-long\nWashington State Governor's School for Leadership. \"When I came\nback, I wanted to do something,\" said Sean. He contacted his\nparents, mayor, school principal, and community, civic and church\nleaders. Toledo was the only town in Lewis County that did not\nhave a food bank and there was a high unemployment rate. Those\nin need had to drive some 30 miles to another town's food bank.\nSean felt that Toledo should \"care for their own. After\nspearheading the initial organizational efforts, he and his\ncommittee worked for four months incorporating, dealing with\nliability concerns, obtaining a site, and procuring food. Said\none community leader, \"The effort to form the Toledo Food Bank\nwas probably 25% local endeavor and 75% Sean's drive, persistence\nand unyielding impatience in achieving success.\n...\nhe was the\ndriving force in the formation of the food bank.\" On February\n13, 1987, the food bank in Toledo opened its doors. Now it\nmonthly serves more than 80 families in need of food staples.\nVICKI LYNN URICH\nRoute 5, Box 320A\nAlvin, Texas 77511\n(713) 585-6054\nDaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Willie L. and Nelva Urich\nDate of birth: March 5, 1970\nVicki has been a determined pollution control worker in her\ncommunity. She has dedicated many hours to work on beach clean-\nups and dune restoration projects, using discarded Christmas\ntrees to trap the sand on the beaches in Brazoria County.\nThrough the 4-H Club, Vicki made a trash survey of the county's\nbeaches. The results, sent to the Environmental Education\nCenter in Washington, D.C., identified large quantities of non-\nbiodegradable plastic trash. The survey was instrumental in\nforming the \"adopt-a-beach\" program. Vicki has also been very\nactive in the beach clean-up projects of her state and the Keep\nTexas Beautiful campaign. When Vicki learned about the plight of\nthe aging Battleship Texas, she instituted a countywide aluminum\ncan drive to raise funds toward the restoration of the ship.\n(MORE)\n- 4 -\nJOHN CLINTON BANKSTON (deceased)\n1861 Muleshoe Road\nDallas, Texas 75217\n(214) 557-1861\nSon of Mr. and Mrs. John and Rosie Bankston\nDate of birth: January 24, 1970\nOn July 17, 1987, John, then 17, drowned while helping to\nrescue people from a bus accident in the Guadalupe River. A\nchurch bus and a van carrying 43 people from a children's camp\nwere swept into the river in Kerr County, Texas. The bus stalled\nas it was trying to cross the rapidly rising river. Once the\ndrivers discovered that their vehicles were immobilized, they\nordered their passengers to get to land. Pounding waves\nscattered the group and toppled the bus and van. The youngsters\nclung to branches and formed a human chain to cross the river.\nJohn offered to carry Jeff Bowman, also 17, who had a cast on his\nleg from a broken ankle. John carried Jeff on his back for about\ntwo hours, until they reached a tree. \"He said, 'We should try\nto let go, Jeff recalled. \"I didn't want to drown him or me.\nI let go.\" Jeff grabbed a log that was floating downstream but\nJohn still clung to the tree. That was the last time Jeff saw\nJohn. Although many of the survivors were rescued from the river\nand from trees by helicopters, 10 people lost their lives.\nJohn's body was the only one that still has not been recovered.\n####\n88-305\nU.S. Department of Justice\nOffice of the Attorney General\nYoung American\nWashington, D.C. 20530\nMedals Committee\nAUG 3 1 1989\nMEMORANDUM TO: Michael Jackson\nAssociate Director of the\nOffice of Cabinet Affairs\nFROM:\nBonnie H. Halford\n004\nYoung American Medals Coordinator\nSUBJECT:\nCeremony for Young American Medal Awardees\nAs discussed earlier, attached is information regarding the Young\nAmerican Medal awardees for use by your speech writers.\nAlso attached are the seven certificates that require the Presi-\ndent's signature. We have sent two copies for each recipient,\njust as a precaution in case one of the certificates gets messed\nup. If the auto-pen is used, may we have both signed? Is there\na Presidential or United States Seal that can be affixed above\nthe President't signature. or is that appropriate?\nWe also discussed the guests that the White House will invite to\nthe Ceremony, e.g., Congressmen and Senators. In the past, the\nGovernors of the appropriate states have also been invited.\nAttached is a list of the appropriate Governors, Senators, and\nCongressmen, along with their Congressional Districts.\nWe will provide you with the list of names, dates of birth, and\nSocial Security numbers for each of the recipients, their guests,\nand Department of Justice employees who will be attending. Are\nany people exempt from providing this information (e.g., the\nAttorney General, Director Sessions, Administrator Lawn, Director\nMorris, Congressmen, Senators, or Governors) ?\nWill the White House send invitations to all guests who will be\nattending the Ceremony, as in the past? If so, addresses will be\nprovided, along with the above-mentioned list of attendees.\nWe are receiving requests from media people who wish to cover the\nevent for various recipients. You said that you would give me\nthe name of a White House press contact to refer these people to\nas they call. Do you have a name yet?\nRegarding our conversation about an Invocation for the Ceremony,\nI would like to recommend a minister that I have known for many\nyears, and who is known by Administration officials. His name is\nDr. James L. Ahlemann, Pastor of Christian Fellowship Church, a\nnon-demoninational church in Vienna, Virginia. If you wish to\nconsider him for the Invocation, I will obtain a biographical\nsketch and references. If not, we could ask one of the officials\npresent at the Ceremony. Do you have any preference?\nOne other question. Where shall I direct the VIP cars (FBI, DOJ,\netc.) to park?\nThere has been a change in our Reception for the recipients. As\nI indicated to you, we were going to have a Reception after the\nCeremony in the Attorney General's Conference Room. We have\ndecided now that it might be more convenient, and more people can\nattend, if we have a Continental Breakfast Reception instead. It\nwill be at 9:00 a.m. on September 21, in the Attorney General's\nConference Room. The Certificates will be presented after the\nbreakfast and time will be available for the recipients to meet\nthe Young American Medals Committee Members, as well as other\nofficials and Congressmen (who will be invited). We certainly\nhope your schedule permits you to attend.\nI certainly appreciate all your help in arranging this Ceremony.\nIf you need any information or help of any kind, please let me\nknow. My telephone number is 724-5966.\nGOVERNORS AND CONGRESSIONAL OFFICIALS\nGovernor John Waihee\nExecutive Chambers\nHonolulu, Hawaii 96813\nGovernor George Deukmejian\nState Capitol\nSacramento, California 95814\nGovernor Thomas H. Kean\nState House\nTrenton, New Jersey 08625\nGovernor William P. Clements, Jr.\nState Capitol\nAustin, Texas 78711\nGovernor Michael S. Dukakis\nState House\nBoston, Massachusetts 02133\nGovernor Booth Gardner\nLegislative Building\nOlympia, Washington 98504\nSenator Lloyd Bensten\n703 Hart Building\nWashington, D.C. 20510\nSenator Phil Gramm\n370 Russell Building\nWashington, D.C. 20510\nCongressman John Bryant\n412 Cannon HOB\n(5th District)\nWashington, D.C. 20515\nCongressman Tom Delay\n1039 Longworth HoB\n(22nd District)\nWashington, D.C. 20515\nSenator Daniel J. Evans\n324 Hart Building\nWashington, D.C. 20510\nSenator Brock Adams\n513 Hart Building\nWashington, D.C. 20510\nCongressman Don Bonker\n434 Cannon HoB\n(3rd District)\nWashington, D.C. 20515\nSenator Edward M. Kennedy\n315 Russell Building\nWashington, D.C. 20510\nSenator John F. Kerry\n421 Russell Building\nWashington, D.C. 20510\nCongressman Joseph P. Kennedy, II\n1208 Longworth Building\n(8th District)\nWashington, D.C. 20515\nSenator Bill Bradley\n731 Hart Building\nWashington, D.C. 20510\nSenator Frank R. Lautenberg\n717 Hart Building\nWashington, D.C. 20510\nCongresswoman Marge Roukema\n303 Cannon Building\n(5th District)\nWashington, D.C. 20515\nSenator Alan Cranston\n112 Hart Building\nWashington, D.C. 20510\nSenator Pete Wilson\n720 Hart Building\nWashington, D.C. 20510\nCongressman Matthew G. Martinez\n240 Cannon Building\n(30th District)\nWashington, D.C. 20515\nSenator Daniel K. Inouye\n722 Hart Building\nWashington, D.C. 20510\nSenator Spark M. Matsunaga\n109 Hart Building\nWashington, D.C. 20510\nCongressman Daniel K. Akaka\n2301 Russell Building\n(2nd District)\nWashington, D.C. 20515\nCongressman Norman D. Dicks\n2429 Rayburn HoB\n(6th District)\nWashington, DC 20515\nSenator Timothy Wirth\n380 Russell Building\nWashington, D.C. 20510\ni 1921\nTITLE 42.-THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE\nPage 10236\n1924. Certificate of commendation accompanying\nChapter 18.YOUTH MEDALS\nawards; limitation on number of yearly awards\nSec.\nAccompanying such medals designated in the\n1921. Establishment of medals for bravery: rules and\nchapter there shall be an appropriate certificate of\nregulations: conditions governing awards.\n1922. Establishment of medals for character and service;\ncommendation presented to the recipient or m\ncondition governing awards.\ncipients stating (a) the circumstances under which\n1923. Names of medals; presentation.\nthe act of bravery was performed. and (b) citing the\n1924. Certificate of commendation accompanying awards;\noutstanding recognition for character and service:\nlimitation on number of yearly awards.\n1925. Report to Congress.\nProvided, That there shall not be awarded in any\n1926. Appropriations.\none calendar year in excess of four such medals to\nwit. two for bravery and two for character and serv.\n$ 1921. Establishment of medals for bravery; rules\nand regulations; conditions governing awards.\nice, as herein authorized. (Aug. 3. 1950, ch. 520. I 1.\n64 Stat. 398.)\nThe Department of Justice be, and it is, authorized\nand directed to promulgate rules and regulations\n1925. Report to Congress.\nestablishing a medal; the method of selecting such\nIt shall be the duty of the Department of Justice\nrecipient thereof so that an award shall be made to\nto make a report to the Congress at the end of each\nany child Tesiding in the United States, who is eight-\nfiscal year and to furnish the Congress with a List\neen years old or under, who has exhibited excep-\nof the names of all those upon whom the President\ntional courage, extraordinary decision, presence of\nshall have conferred either of such medals. (Any\nmind. and unusual swiftness of action, regardless of\n3. 1950, ch. 520, I 5. 64 Stat. 398.)\nhis or her own personal safety. in an effort to save\nor successfully saving the life or lives of any person\nI 1926. Appropriations.\nor persons whose life or lives were in actual immi-\nIt shall also be the duty of the Department of\nnent danger. (Aug. 3. 1950, ch. 520, 11, 64 Stat.\nJustice to list in its annual budget request the SUB\n397.)\nof money necessary to carry out the provisions of\nSECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS\nthis chapter. which sum is authorized in a sum DOL\nThis section is referred to in section 1923 of this title.\nto exceed $5,000 per annum. (Aug. 3. 1950, ch 520\n16. 64 Stat. 398.)\n$ 1922. Establishment of medals for character and\nservice; condition governing awards.\nThe Department of Justice shall also honor by an\nappropriate medal such American boy or girl citi-\nzens. eighteen years old or under, who, in the opin-\nion of the said Department of Justice, shall have\nachieved outstanding or unusual recognition for\ncharacter and service during any given year. (Aug.\n3. 1950. ch. 520, I 2. 64 Stat. 397.)\nSECTION REFERRED TO IN OTHER SECTIONS\nThis section is referred to in section 1923 of this title.\n$ 1923. Names of medals; presentation.\nThe medal to be awarded for bravery or valor as\ndefined in section 1921 of this title shall be known as\nthe Young American Medal for Bravery. while the\nmedal for outstanding character and service as de-\nfined in section 1922 of this title shall be known as\nthe Young American Medal for Service, and such\nmedals shall be presented personally by the Presi-\ndent of the United States for and on behalf, and in\nthe name of the President and the Congress of the\nUnited States of America. (Aug. 3, 1950, ch. 520.\nI 3, 64 Stat. 398.)\nOF SUBTICA\nOld\nDepartment of Justice\nAMOUNT\nIT\nJUSTITIA\nADVANCE FOR RELEASE AT 5 P.M. EDT\nOJP\nSUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1989\n(202) 724-7782\nAttorney General Dick Thornburgh announced today that the\n1988 Young American Medal for Bravery will be awarded to a young\nwoman from Hawaii and a young man from California. In addition,\ntwo young men, one from Massachusetts and one from New Jersey,\nwill receive the 1988 Young American Medal for Service.\nexpected\non a\nPresident George Bush is scheduled to present the medals for\ndate to be announced\nthe 1988 awards later this month. The 1987 awards, whose winners\nwere announced on August 20, 1988, also will be presented at that\ntime.\n\"These Award winners are examples of what's good about\nAmerica's youth,\" the Attorney General said. \"Despite all we\nhear about the acts of small numbers of teenagers, most of\ntoday's youths are law abiding boys and girls who will become\nproductive adults and good citizens.\n\"Many of our teenagers perform acts of bravery every day.\nThey also contribute many hours of their time to community\nprojects, including helping senior citizens, the homeless and the\n(MORE)\n- 2 -\nless advantaged. This program affords the Department of Justice\nthe opportunity to select and recognize some of these fine young\npeople for special recognition,\" Thornburgh said.\nThe Young American Medals Program, begun in 1950 under an\nact of Congress, recognizes young people for acts of bravery or\nconspicuous community service. Although the law directs the\nDepartment of Justice to select recipients and administer the\nprogram, it specifies that the President must personally present\nthe awards.\nRecipients must be younger than 19 years old at the time of\ntheir acts of bravery or service. Nominations are submitted to\nthe Department of Justice by governors or, in the case of U.S.\nterritories or the District of Columbia, by the appropriate chief\nexecutives.\nDirector William Sessions of the Federal Bureau of\nInvestigation chairs the Young American Medals Committee. Its\nother members are David R. Runkel, Assistant to the Attorney\nGeneral; John C. Lawn, Administrator of the Drug Enforcement\nAdministration; and Stanley E. Morris, Director of the U.S.\nMarshals Service.\nThe Young American Medals for Bravery will be presented to:\n-Angela Marie Campanoli, then 11, and living in Maui,\nHawaii. On October 5, 1988, with no regard for her own\n(MORE)\n- 3 -\nsafety, this young girl dove into rough and dangerous waters\nto assist a Japanese tourist who was being swept out to sea.\nAngela held the victim's head above water until help arrived\nto pull her closer to shore.\nRuben Ortega, then 18, of Alhambra, California. On April\n26, 1988, a student armed with an assault rifle held Ruben\nand approximately 70 of his classmates hostage. Ruben\nrisked his life by attacking the armed student, grasping the\nrifle and the assailant, and wrestling him to the ground.\nWith the help of several students, Ruben held the assailant\non the floor until police arrived.\nThe Young American Medals for Service will be presented to:\nFreddy Torres, then 18, of Boston, Massachusetts. As a\ndrug/alcohol peer leader and an AIDS peer leader, Freddy\nspent countless hours helping hundreds of young people in\nBoston stay away from drugs and learn about the dangers of\nAIDS.\nJohn Philip Donovan, then 17, from River Vale, New Jersey.\nJohn served his community and school through a variety of\nvolunteer activities. These included working with disabled\nBoy Scouts, serving as the only youth member of a community-\nwide committee designed to instill a greater sense of pride\nin the community, and raising funds for muscular dystrophy.\n(MORE)\n- 4 -\nMore detailed information about the recipients follows:\nANGELA MARIE CAMPANOLI\n5300 Rehklau Road, S.E.,\nLacey, Washington 98503\n(206) 438-1371\nDaughter of Yvonne L. and Dennis J. Campanoli\nDate of birth: February 15, 1977\nOn October 5, 1988, Angela, her mother, her brother, Bryan, and\nher friend were enjoying the sun at Polo Beach, Maui, Hawaii.\nPolo Beach has a reputation for rough waves and strong currents.\nOn that day, the surf was 2 to 3 feet high, a strong rip tide was\nin the area, and trade winds were blowing at 12 to 15 knots. The\nHawaiian residents knew it was safer to bask in the sun than to\nrisk danger by going swimming.\nThree Japanese tourists, a man, his wife and their little boy,\nwere also relaxing on Polo Beach that day. Somehow, the child\ngot caught in a current and started to panic. The parents,\nseeing this, ran in to rescue him. However, the waves were too\nrough and the couple found themselves trapped too.\nAngela observed that the father was safe (clinging to the rocks)\nand the little boy was being brought to shore by others on the\nbeach; however, the mother was slowly being swept out to sea.\nAngela quickly dove in, swam to the woman, and held her head\nabove the water. Angela stayed with her until Bryan swam out to\nthem and helped bring the woman closer to shore. They stayed\nwith the woman until further help arrived to bring her to shore.\nRUBEN ORTEGA\n1801 Garvey Boulevard, Apt. 124\nAlhambra, California 91803\n(818) 570-9840\nSon of Clodoalda Ortega\nDate of birth: December 10, 1969\nOn April 26, 1988, a student armed with an assault rifle entered\nan English class on the campus of San Gabriel High School and\nheld approximately 70 students hostage for about 30-35 minutes.\nRuben, one of the hostages, risked his life by attacking the\narmed student, grasping the rifle and the assailant, and\nwrestling him to the ground. With the help of several students,\nRuben held the assailant on the floor until police arrived.\nThe Mayor of the City of San Gabriel said, \"As a result of Ruben\nOrtega's bravery and quick thinking, the potentially tragic\nincident was defused to the point that no injuries occurred and\nthere was no property damage to the school premises.\"\n(MORE)\n- 5 -\nFREDDY TORRES\n72 Everett Street\nEast Boston, Massachusetts 02128\n(617) 569-6482\nSon of Iris and Manuel Torres\nDate of birth: September 12, 1970\nFreddy Torres, an 18-year-old senior at East Boston High School,\nspent countless hours helping hundreds of young people in Boston\nstay away from drugs and learn about the dangers of AIDS. As a\ndrug/alcohol peer leader and an AIDS peer leader, Freddy spent\nmany hours in classrooms throughout Boston helping young people\nlearn about better alternatives to taking drugs and the dangers\nof AIDS. In addition to time spent in the classroom, Freddy\noften works in the streets bringing young people, some of whom\nhave dropped out of school, into drug and AIDS prevention\nprograms.\nIn June 1988, the Governor of Massachusetts chose Freddy to\ntestify before the United States Senate Committee on Labor and\nHuman Resources. He testified in support of funding for Peer\nLeadership programs and shared his personal experiences with\nmembers of Congress. He was the only teenager on the panel.\nJOHN PHILIP DONOVAN\n623 Cleveland Avenue\nRiver Vale, New Jersey 07675\n(201) 666-0647\nSon of Bonnie M. and John G. Donovan\nDate of birth: August 22, 1971\nDuring 1988, 17-year-old John Philip Donovan served his\ncommunity, his school, and others. John served as Junior\nAssistant Scout Master and Eagle Scout in a Boy Scout Troop with\nlearning and otherwise disabled scouts as members. He was the\nonly youth member of a community-wide organization, the Pride in\nRiver Vale (New Jersey) Committee. This committee was formed to\nhelp instill a greater sense of civic pride in the community's\nresidents and to secure a greater involvement of those residents\nin the community's activities. As a fundraiser for Muscular\nDystrophy, John raised $6,500 in contributions. John also\nmaintained active and sustained leadership and involvement in\nStudents Against Driving Drunk, Adopt-a-Family clothing and gift\ngathering programs, an interscholastic high school leadership\nforum, the National Model United Nations, including conference\nleadership in Washington, D.C., high school peer counseling, and\nscience and mathematics tutoring. In addition, John served as\nStudent Council President during 1988.\n89-149\nAfter hours contact: Stu Smith (301) 983-9354\nSept. 19, 1989\nMEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT\nTHROUGH:\nCHRISS WINSTON\nFROM:\nMARK DAVIS\nSUBJECT:\nYoung American Medal Awards Ceremony\nI. SUMMARY:\nYou are scheduled to appear in the Rose Garden on Thursday,\nSept. 21, at 11:20 p.m., to present the Young American Medals for\nBravery and for Service. We have provided you with seven minutes\nof remarks, on cards.\nII. DISCUSSION:\nThese awards cover deeds of bravery performed by young\npeople in 1987, as well as for last year. There are seven\nrecipients -- one is being posthumously awarded to John Bankston.\nHe will be represented by his parents, John and Rosie.\nDavis/Martin\nSept. 19, 1989\nDraft: Three\nTitle: Hero\nPRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS:\nYOUNG AMERICAN MEDAL, ROSE GARDEN\nThursday/11:20 a.m./Sept. 21, 1989\n( (Acknowledgements) ) Attorney General Thornburgh -- Dick --\nDirector Sessions and my young friends. Welcome to the White\nHouse. It will be my honor to bestow, in just a moment, the\nYoung American Medal for Bravery; and the Young American Medal\nfor Service, for 1987 and 1988.\nA great writer, I believe it was Emerson, said that a hero\nis no braver than anyone else; only brave for five minutes\nlonger. Two young people with us today know these minutes of\nbravery minutes where terrible events seem to occur in slow\nmotion minutes facing death and challenging eternity.\nOne of the recipients of a Young American Medal for Bravery\nis twelve years old. She is Angela Marie Campanoli ( (Camp-PA-no-\nlee)), and she attends the 7th grade at Aylen ((A-lynn) ) Junior\nHigh in Washington State. Angela, her mother Yvonne, her brother\nBryan, and a friend, were at the beach in Maui on October fifth,\n1988. Three Japanese tourists -- a man, his wife and their\nlittle boy -- were also at that same beach, that same day.\nThe Japanese child got caught in a current, and started to\npanic. His parents, seeing this, dashed into the rough surf to\nrescue him. Others got to the child first. But the mother was\ndragged by a relentless current, out to sea. Angela quickly dove\n2\nin, swam to the woman, and held her head above water. Her\nbrother, Bryan, was also right there. And together, Bryan and\nAngela brought the woman back to shore. Back to her family.\nBack to her life.\nWe are also here to honor the late John Bankston of Dallas.\nOn July 17, 1987, a church bus and a van carrying 43 people from\na children's camp were swept into the currents of the Guadalupe\nRiver in Kerr County, Texas. Pounding waves scattered the group\nand toppled the bus and van.\nThe youngsters who survived clung to branches and formed a\nhuman chain to cross the river. One of them was Jeff Bowman, who\nhad a cast on his leg from a broken ankle. John carried Jeff on\nhis back for two hours, until they reached a tree. Jeff let go\nand grabbed a log that was floating downstream. John clung to\nthe tree, and was never seen again. He was 17-years-old. Rosie,\nJohn, we know that a parent's grief is a special hardship. But\nwe hope that your grief is tempered by pride, pride in your hero,\nyour son John. ( (PAUSE))\nIn California, a different kind of tragedy almost occurred.\nOn April twenty-sixth, 1988, an armed student walked into the\nEnglish class of San Gabriel High School; and seventy students\nsuddenly became seventy hostages. One of them is with us today.\nHe is Ruben Ortega. This young man threw his life into the\nbalance. And because of his bravery, his classmates are safe and\nwell today.\n3\nWhen I was Ruben's age, Will Rogers said that being a hero\nis about the shortest-lived profession on earth. But Will\nRoger's wry humor is belied by his own life, a man who lightened\nthe worries of the Great Depression with laughter and goodwill.\nSo for some, bringing hope and even saving lives is not a\nmatter of minutes. It's a matter of months and years of giving.\nIt's a habit, a habit of the heart. And that is why we give the\nYoung American Medal for Service.\nWe have with us Freddy Torres of East Boston High School.\nAt age 18, Freddy spent countless hours as a peer leader,\ninspiring hundreds of young people to stay away from drugs and\nlearn about the dangers of AIDS. And Freddy went beyond the\nclassroom, taking his message where it is needed most -- to the\nstreets. It was out of class that Freddy persuaded young people,\noften drop-outs, to enlist in drug and AIDS prevention programs.\nI have said that from now on, in America, any definition of\na successful life must include service to others. By this\ndefinition, John Philip Donovan of River Vale, New Jersey, is\nabout as successful as you can be. Last year, when he was 17,\nJohn served his community in many ways: As a leader of a Boy\nScout Troop with learning and other disabled Scouts as members;\nas a fund-raiser for Muscular Dystrophy, bringing in sixty-five\nhundred dollars; as a leader of Students-Against-Drunk-Driving,\nand many other activities.\nSean Fox of Ethel, Washington, is another young American who\ncares enough to act. He organized a food bank for Toledo,\n4\nWashington; and involved his parents, mayor, school principal and\nother community leaders in the drive. Because of Sean's work,\nthe food bank serves more than eighty families in need.\nVicki Lynn Urich ((YOUR-ich)) of Alvin, Texas, has dedicated\nher efforts to cleaning up local beaches and restoring dunes\nalong the Texas Coast. She also started a nationwide aluminum\ncan drive to restore the Battleship Texas, and has been a leader\nin many other projects.\nThese services may not be as dramatic as pulling someone\nfrom the surf, or subduing a gunman. But Freddy, John, Sean and\nVicki know something very profound -- that it is in the daily\naccumulation of small acts of kindness, that life can be\nimproved. And often, lives can be saved.\nLet me offer one last thought. Sometimes we lose sight of\nthe vast majority of young Americans who are doing their best to\nbetter this world. So for those who worry about the future,\nperhaps they should consider these four young Americans. You and\nI know that in the future, our country will be in good hands,\nbecause it will be in their hands.\nAnd now, it is my honor to present all of you with your\nYoung American Medals.\n#\n#\n#\nAdministration of Ronald Reagan, 1986 / Jan. 16\nround,\nand\nwe\ndream. Never forget that this is America,\ntake heart-look how far we have come!\nto\nthose\nthe land where dreams come true. And\nGod bless you all.\nequitable,\nveri-\nWe\nwill\nin\nthat\nlight.\nRemarks at the Presentation Ceremony for the Young American\nMedals\nthe\nstatement\nthe\nBriefing\nJanuary 16, 1986\nAttorney General Meese and my young\nspread, and today scores of individuals and\nfriends here on the platform and ladies and\norganizations, moved by the example of\ngentlemen, good afternoon, and welcome to\nyoung Trevor Ferrell, are joining him in his\nthe White House. You know, we've come\nof\ninner city work of charity.\ntogether today in a capital city that's often\nTrevor Ferrell, you've not only earned\npreoccupied with bigness-big questions\nthe gratitude of the people of Philadelphia\n-like tax reform and big statistics like the\nbut the affection and admiration of an\ngross national product and, yes, big levels of\nentire country. Congratulations.\nfunding. And to paraphrase the late Senator\namid\nthe\nThe second medal for service goes to 19-\nEverett Dirksen, he said, \"A billion dollars\nfront\nyear-old Janelle Lynn Peery of Cheyenne,\nporch\nhere, a billion dollars there, and pretty soon\nWyoming. When Janelle was 15, she noticed\non\nvenge-\nit adds up to real money.\" [Laughter] But\nthis\nproblem\na bump above her right knee; the diagnosis:\nin the midst of all this bigness, it's only too\nhe\ntold\nthem.\nbone cancer. In a drastic effort to save Jan-\neasy to lose sight of what really matters—\nWe\nelle's life, her right leg was amputated.\nwhich is the individual. At this ceremony\nlove\nthem.\nNine miserable months of chemotherapy\ntoday, it's my honor to remind the Nation,\nfollowed, and as Janelle put it, with coura-\ncenturies—\nthe entire Nation, of the importance of the\nwhat\ngeous understatement, \"When you spend 9\nwe\nmust\nindividual by awarding medals to four re-\nmonths being sick to your stomach, it's not\nmarkable young Americans.\nderstood\ntoo pleasant.\" The experience Janelle went\nthat\nTwo of the medals recognize outstanding\nwer-brother-\nthrough would have devastated many\nservice to others. And the first goes to the\ngrownups, but young Janelle faced it with\nwould\n\"be\nyoungest honoree, 13-year-old Trevor Fer-\nbravery and began to reach out to others.\ndiscords of\nrell. Trevor lives with his family in a fine\nsymphony\n\"When I came out of the hospital,\" Janelle\nof\nhome outside Philadelphia on the Main\nrecently said, \"my basic philosophy on life\nLine, and until 1983, when Trevor was 11,\nof\nwas that I'm here to help people.\" Janelle's\nus\nto\nmove\nthat neighborhood was virtually his entire\nDeclara-\nmother had made her daughter a teddy\nour\nworld. And then during the Christmas holi-\n\"all\nbear, and Janelle began making teddy bears\nmen\nare\ndays, Trevor happened to glimpse a very\njust like it to give to other children in the\nour\nCre-\ndifferent world on television. It was the\nhospital, each with a note attached which\nlowed\nus\nall\nworld of the Philadelphia inner city, and\nread, \"A little hand for you to hold onto\nand\nthat\nit\nthe TV that evening showed street people\nand\nwhen you get scared.\" Soon Janelle began\npro-\nbedding down for the cold winter night,\ncounseling, and in the 4 years since her\nbroken men and women huddling in aban-\nown surgery, she's counseled hundreds of\nKing,\nI\nalso\ndoned cars and burned-out buildings.\nhave\ncancer patients and amputees. Today Jan-\npicked\nTrevor went to his room, got a blanket, and\nelle is a freshman at Brandeis University,\nago\nfrom\nasked his parents to take him downtown.\nand I understand that in her spare time\nI\nsalute\nall\nAnd Trevor gave that blanket to a man he\nshe's an expert skier.\nto\nwork\nfor\nand his parents found sleeping over a\nharmo-\nJanelle, you've given us all the gift of\nsubway grate. Soon Trevor was making trips\nherica\nhope. Thank you, and congratulations. And\nwhere\nto the inner city regularly, handing out the\nby the way, Janelle, I read an interview in\ncontent\nof\nfood, blankets, and clothing that had begun\nof\ntheir\nwhich you said: \"It'll be nice to meet the\nskin.\ncoming his way as friends, church groups,\nabandon\nPresident. I think it will be cool.\" [Laugh-\nthe\nand businesses heard of his interest in help-\nter] Well, it's been cool to meet you, too.\ning the homeless. Word continued to\n[Laughter]\n61\nJan. 16 / Administration of Ronald Reagan, 1986\nAnd now it's my honor to announce the\nDakota. On an autumn evening in 1984,\nturn the NAACP\ntwo medals for bravery. One goes to an 18-\nwhen Greg was 16, he and three girls were\nzation, into a nat\nyear-old-Richard Makinson of Pixley, Cali-\nwalking to the Lead High School for the\ncivil rights with\nfornia. One spring day in 1984, when Rich-\nhomecoming dance. By the way, Greg, one\nmembers. He tu\nard was 16, he and friends were swimming\nboy with three girls-I have to hand it to\nwould rather ha\nin the Feather River. For Richard, swim-\nyou. [Laughter] As Greg and his friends\na movement Am\nming was an activity that required special\nneared the school, a speeding car suddenly\nwith. His coura\nattention. You see, he's a diabetic and must\nrounded a curve and headed straight for\nrights of every\nbe careful not to overexert himself. On this\nthem. One of the girls jumped clear; the\nmankind, manif\nday Richard had perhaps pushed himself\nother two girls seemed to freeze. As the car\nnonviolence-all\ntoo far, because he noticed that he had\nsped down upon him, Greg chose to save\nparts of his char\nbecome shaky. In order to raise the sugar\nhis friends, not himself; and he threw the\ngrandson of a sla\nlevel in his blood, he stopped swimming to\ntwo girls free. An instant later, Greg's head\nrienced many i\ngo get something to eat. On his way, Rich-\nshattered the car windshield; both his legs\novercome with\nard heard screams. He turned to see that\nwere broken. The driver never even\nwho sought not\ntwo little girls had fallen into an unsafe part\nstopped. Later that night, he was arrested.\nbetter America.\nof the river and were being swept down-\nGreg, you saved two young women from\nAnd this spir\nstream. Despite his dangerous condition,\ninjury, possibly from death, at enormous\n1949, at a time\nRichard dived in. He reached one girl, 12-\ncost to yourself. You're a living definition of\ncome to grips V\nyear-old Susanna Foster; and although she\ncourage.\nstitutional racis\nwas terrified and struggling, he managed to\nAnd there we have it-Trevor Ferrell,\nconvention of\nget her safely to the riverbank. Richard\nJanelle Lynn Peery, Richard Makinson,\nmeaning of A\nthen returned for the other girl, 11-year-old\nGregory Delzer-four young Americans to\nland,\" he said\nKristy Boring. He got within a few feet of\ninspire us all. I've often said that when I\nhelped to buil\nher before the current dragged her under.\nconsider the youth of our country, I know\nfrom Boston C\nRichard dived again and again, but Kristy\nthat America will be in good hands. I've\nwords like this\nwas gone. Richard returned to the shore\nnever felt that more strongly than at this\nhis fellow coun\nand collapsed, devastated that, although\nmoment. Once again, congratulations to\nAmericans are\nhe'd saved one girl, he had been unable to\neach of you. And to your parents, thank you\nWilkins who de\nrescue the other.\nfor raising such fine young Americans and\nthat America li\nIn a recent interview, Richard said that\nfor permitting us today to share in your\nerty and justice\nhis act of bravery \"makes me feel good, but\npride.\nWilkins, we're\nI still don't think it was such a big deal.\nThank you. God bless you. And now the\nIt gives me\nAnyone who was there would have done\nAttorney General and I will distribute the\nmemorate Roy\nthe same thing.\" Well, Richard, that's the\nawards.\ncause of huma\nmodesty of a hero.\nstrengthened\nThe second medal for bravery goes to 17-\nNote: The President spoke at 1:33 p.m. in\nthe American\nyear-old Gregory Delzer, of Lead, South\nthe East Room at the White House.\nmedal speciall\ngreat man, Ro\nAnd Mrs. Wilk\nto you now on\nUnited States.\nRemarks at the Presentation Ceremony for the Congressional Gold\nzens.\nMedal Honoring Roy Wilkins\nMrs. Wilkin\nJanuary 16, 1986\nto thank you\nThe President. Mrs. [Aminda B.] Wilkins,\ndiscrimination. Roy Wilkins dedicated his\nSenator Moynihan, Secretary [of Housing\nlife to eliminating these evils. He has\nand Urban Development] Pierce, honored\nhelped make our country a just and a\nguests, today we're gathered to pay homage\ndecent land for all Americans.\nto an individual who contributed so much\nRoy was a journalist, a communicator by\nto this country. Roy Wilkins was born into\ntrade. He was also the quintessential Ameri-\nan America plagued with segregation and\ncan activist. His skills and dedication helped\n62\nMarkD.\nADDRESS: YOUNG AMERICAN MEDAL, ROOM 450 OEOB\nTHURSDAY/11:30 A.M./SEPT. 21, 1989\nATTORNEY GENERAL THORNBURGH -- DICK -- DIRECTOR\nSTANLEY MORRIS -- DIRECTOR SESSIONS -- BILL -- DAVID\nRUNKEL, AND ESPECIALLY YOU MEDAL WINNERS. WELCOME TO\nTHE WHITE HOUSE. IT WILL BE MY HONOR TO BESTOW, IN\nJUST A MOMENT, THE YOUNG AMERICAN MEDAL FOR BRAVERY;\nAND THE YOUNG AMERICAN MEDAL FOR SERVICE, FOR 1987 AND\n1988.\n- 2 -\nA GREAT WRITER, I BELIEVE IT WAS EMERSON, SAID THAT\nA HERO IS NO BRAVER THAN ANYONE ELSE; ONLY BRAVE FOR\nFIVE MINUTES LONGER. Two YOUNG PEOPLE WITH US TODAY\nKNOW THESE MINUTES OF BRAVERY, MINUTES WHERE TERRIBLE\nEVENTS SEEM TO OCCUR IN SLOW MOTION, MINUTES FACING\nDEATH AND CHALLENGING ETERNITY.\n- 3 -\nONE OF THE RECIPIENTS OF A YOUNG AMERICAN MEDAL FOR\nBRAVERY IS TWELVE YEARS OLD. SHE IS ANGELA MARIE\nCAMPANOLI ((CAMP-PA-NO-LEE)), AND SHE ATTENDS THE 7TH\nGRADE AT AYLEN ((A-LYNN)) JUNIOR HIGH IN WASHINGTON\nSTATE. ANGELA, HER MOTHER YVONNE, HER BROTHER BRYAN,\nAND A FRIEND, WERE AT THE BEACH IN MAUI ON OCTOBER\nFIFTH, 1988. THREE JAPANESE TOURISTS -- A MAN, HIS\nWIFE AND THEIR LITTLE BOY -- WERE ALSO AT THAT SAME\nBEACH, THAT SAME DAY.\n- 4 -\nTHE JAPANESE CHILD GOT CAUGHT IN A CURRENT, AND\nSTARTED TO PANIC. HIS PARENTS, SEEING THIS, DASHED\nINTO THE ROUGH SURF TO RESCUE HIM. OTHERS GOT TO THE\nCHILD FIRST. BUT THE MOTHER WAS DRAGGED BY A\nRELENTLESS CURRENT, OUT TO SEA. ANGELA QUICKLY DOVE\nIN, SWAM TO THE WOMAN, AND HELD HER HEAD ABOVE WATER.\nHER BROTHER, BRYAN, WAS ALSO RIGHT THERE. AND\nTOGETHER, BRYAN AND ANGELA BROUGHT THE WOMAN BACK TO\nSHORE. BACK TO HER FAMILY. BACK TO HER LIFE.\n- 5 -\nWE ARE ALSO HERE TO HONOR THE LATE JOHN BANKSTON OF\nDALLAS. ON JULY 17, 1987, A CHURCH BUS AND A VAN\nCARRYING 43 PEOPLE FROM A CHILDREN'S CAMP WERE SWEPT\nINTO THE CURRENTS OF THE GUADALUPE RIVER IN KERR\nCOUNTY, TEXAS. POUNDING WAVES SCATTERED THE GROUP AND\nTOPPLED THE BUS AND VAN.\n- 6 -\nTHE YOUNGSTERS WHO SURVIVED CLUNG TO BRANCHES AND\nFORMED A HUMAN CHAIN TO CROSS THE RIVER. ONE OF THEM\nWAS JEFF BOWMAN, WHO HAD A CAST ON HIS LEG FROM A\nBROKEN ANKLE. JOHN CARRIED JEFF ON HIS BACK FOR TWO\nHOURS, UNTIL THEY REACHED A TREE. JEFF LET GO AND\nGRABBED A LOG THAT WAS FLOATING DOWNSTREAM. JOHN CLUNG\nTO THE TREE, AND WAS NEVER SEEN AGAIN. HE WAS 17-\nYEARS-OLD.\n- 7 -\nROSIE, JOHN, WE KNOW THAT A PARENT'S GRIEF IS A SPECIAL\nHARDSHIP. BUT WE HOPE THAT YOUR GRIEF IS TEMPERED BY\nPRIDE, PRIDE IN YOUR HERO, YOUR SON JOHN. ((PAUSE))\nIN CALIFORNIA, A DIFFERENT KIND OF TRAGEDY ALMOST\nOCCURRED. ON APRIL TWENTY-SIXTH, 1988, AN ARMED\nSTUDENT WALKED INTO THE ENGLISH CLASS OF SAN GABRIEL\nHIGH SCHOOL; AND SEVENTY STUDENTS SUDDENLY BECAME\nSEVENTY HOSTAGES. ONE OF THEM IS WITH US TODAY. HE IS\nRUBEN ORTEGA.\n- 8 -\nTHIS YOUNG MAN THREW HIS LIFE INTO THE BALANCE. AND\nBECAUSE OF HIS BRAVERY, HIS CLASSMATES ARE SAFE AND\nWELL TODAY.\nWHEN I WAS RUBEN'S AGE, WILL ROGERS SAID THAT BEING\nA HERO IS ABOUT THE SHORTEST-LIVED PROFESSION ON EARTH.\nBUT WILL ROGER'S WRY HUMOR IS BELIED BY HIS OWN LIFE, A\nMAN WHO LIGHTENED THE WORRIES OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION\nWITH LAUGHTER AND GOODWILL.\n- 9 -\nSo FOR SOME, BRINGING HOPE AND EVEN SAVING LIVES IS\nNOT A MATTER OF MINUTES. IT'S A MATTER OF MONTHS AND\nYEARS OF GIVING. IT'S A HABIT, A HABIT OF THE HEART.\nAND THAT IS WHY WE GIVE THE YOUNG AMERICAN MEDAL FOR\nSERVICE.\nWE HAVE WITH US FREDDY TORRES OF EAST BOSTON HIGH\nSCHOOL. AT AGE 18, FREDDY SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS AS A\nPEER LEADER, INSPIRING HUNDREDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE TO STAY\nAWAY FROM DRUGS AND LEARN ABOUT THE DANGERS OF AIDS.\n- 10 -\nAND FREDDY WENT BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, TAKING HIS\nMESSAGE WHERE IT IS NEEDED MOST -- TO THE STREETS. IT\nWAS OUT OF CLASS THAT FREDDY PERSUADED YOUNG PEOPLE,\nOFTEN DROP-OUTS, TO ENLIST IN DRUG AND AIDS PREVENTION\nPROGRAMS.\nI HAVE SAID THAT FROM NOW ON, IN AMERICA, ANY\nDEFINITION OF A SUCCESSFUL LIFE MUST INCLUDE SERVICE TO\nOTHERS.\n- 11 -\nBY THIS DEFINITION, JOHN PHILIP DONOVAN OF RIVER VALE,\nNEW JERSEY, IS ABOUT AS SUCCESSFUL AS YOU CAN BE. LAST\nYEAR, WHEN HE WAS 17, JOHN SERVED HIS COMMUNITY IN MANY\nWAYS: As A LEADER OF A Boy SCOUT TROOP WITH LEARNING\nAND OTHER DISABLED SCOUTS AS MEMBERS; AS A FUND-RAISER\nFOR MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY, BRINGING IN SIXTY-FIVE HUNDRED\nDOLLARS; AS A LEADER OF STUDENTS-AGAINST-DRUNK-DRIVING]\nAND MANY OTHER ACTIVITIES.\n- 12 -\nSEAN Fox OF ETHEL, WASHINGTON, IS ANOTHER YOUNG\nAMERICAN WHO CARES ENOUGH TO ACT. HE ORGANIZED A FOOD\nBANK FOR TOLEDO, WASHINGTON; AND INVOLVED HIS PARENTS,\nMAYOR, SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS IN\nTHE DRIVE. BECAUSE OF SEAN'S WORK, THE FOOD BANK\nSERVES MORE THAN EIGHTY FAMILIES IN NEED.\n- 13 -\nVICKI LYNN URICK ((YOUR-ICH)) OF ALVIN, TEXAS, HAS\nDEDICATED HER EFFORTS TO CLEANING UP LOCAL BEACHES AND\nRESTORING DUNES ALONG THE TEXAS COAST. SHE ALSO\nSTARTED A NATIONWIDE ALUMINUM CAN DRIVE TO RESTORE THE\nBATTLESHIP TEXAS, AND HAS BEEN A LEADER IN MANY OTHER\nPROJECTS.\n- 14 -\nTHESE SERVICES MAY NOT BE AS DRAMATIC AS PULLING\nSOMEONE FROM THE SURF, OR SUBDUING A GUNMAN. BUT\nFREDDY, JOHN, SEAN AND VICKI KNOW SOMETHING VERY\nPROFOUND -- THAT IT IS IN THE DAILY ACCUMULATION OF\nSMALL ACTS OF KINDNESS, THAT LIFE CAN BE IMPROVED. AND\nOFTEN, LIVES CAN BE SAVED.\nLET ME OFFER ONE LAST THOUGHT. SOMETIMES WE LOSE\nSIGHT OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF YOUNG AMERICANS WHO ARE\nDOING THEIR BEST TO BETTER THIS WORLD.\n- 15 -\nSo FOR THOSE WHO WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE, PERHAPS THEY\nSHOULD CONSIDER THESE YOUNG AMERICANS. You AND I KNOW\nTHAT IN THE FUTURE, OUR COUNTRY WILL BE IN GOOD HANDS,\nBECAUSE IT WILL BE IN THEIR HANDS.\nAND NOW, IT IS MY HONOR TO PRESENT ALL OF YOU WITH\nYOUR YOUNG AMERICAN MEDALS.\n#\n#\n#\nGREAT OF INSTICE\nU.S. Department of Justice\nOffice of Public Affairs\nYoung\nAmerican\nMedals\nRegulations\nInformation on the\nI\nAwards\nY oung American\nMedals\nYoung\nAmerican\nMedals\nRegulations\nYOUNG AMERICAN MEDALS COMMITTEE\nUNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE\nRegulations Establishing the Young American Medal for\nBravery and the Young American Medal for Service\nPursuant to the authority contained in the Act of\nAugust 3, 1950, 64 Stat. 297-398, 42 U.S.C. 1921 et seq., and\nby direction of the Attorney General of the United States,\nthe following Regulations are hereby promulgated for the\npurpose of establishing and awarding the medals provided\nfor in the Act above mentioned:\nSECTION 1. Names of medals.-There are hereby\nestablished two medals, one to be known as the Young\nAmerican Medal for Bravery and the other to be known as\nthe Young American Medal for Service.\nSECTION 2. Young American Medal for Bravery.-(a)\nThis medal may be awarded to a person eighteen years old\nor under, who habitually resides in the United States\n(including its territories and possessions), and who during a\ngiven calendar year has exhibited exceptional courage,\nattended by extraordinary decision, presence of mind, and\nunusual swiftness of action, regardless of his or her own\npersonal safety, in an effort to save or in saving the life of\nany person or persons in actual imminent danger. A candi-\ndate for this medal must habitually reside in the United\nStates but need not be a citizen thereof. No more than two\nsuch medals may be awarded in any one calendar year.\n(b) In order to establish eligibility for the Young Ameri-\ncan Medal for Bravery, it must appear that all of the condi-\ntions set forth in subsection (a) of this Section concur in the\nunusual endeavor exhibited by the candidate.\n(1)\n2\nSECTION 3. Young American Medal for Service.-(a)\nThe Young American Medal for Service may be awarded to\nany person who is a citizen of the United States and is\neighteen years old or under, and who has achieved out-\nstanding or unusual recognition for character and service\nduring a given calendar year. No more than two such\nmedals may be awarded in any one calendar year.\n(b) Only citizens of the United States are eligible to\nreceive the Young American Medal for Service. Character\nattained and service accomplished by a candidate for this\nmedal must have been such as to make his or her achieve-\nment worthy of public report. The outstanding and unusual\nrecognition of the candidate's character and service must\nhave been public in nature and must have been acknowl-\nedged by the chief executive officer or officers of a state,\ncounty, municipality, or other political subdivision, or by a\ncivic, educational or religious institution, group or society.\n(c) The recognition of the character and service upon\nwhich the award of the Medal for Service is based must have\nbeen accorded separately and apart from the Young Ameri-\ncan Medals Program and must not have been accorded for\nthe specific and announced purpose of rendering a candi-\ndate eligible, or of adding to a candidate's qualifications, for\nthe award of the Young American Medal for Service.\nSECTION 4. Eligibility requirements.-(a) The act or\nacts of bravery and the recognition for character and service\nwhich make a candidate eligible for either of the medals\nmust have occurred during the calendar year for which the\naward is made.\n(b) To be eligible for either medal, a candidate must not\nhave reached his or her nineteenth birthday on the date of\nthe pertinent exhibition of bravery or recognition for char-\nacter and service, respectively.\n(c) A candidate may be eligible for both medals in the\nsame year, and the receipt of either medal in one year will\nnot affect a candidate's eligibility for the award of either or\nboth of the medals in a succeeding year.\n3\n(d) Acts of bravery performed and recognition of char-\nacter and service achieved by persons serving in the Armed\nForces, which arise from or out of military or naval duties\nshall not make a candidate eligible for either of the medals:\nProvided, however, That a person serving in the Armed\nForces shall be eligible to receive either or both of the\nmedals if the act of bravery performed or the recognition for\ncharacter and service achieved is on account of acts and\nservice performed or rendered outside of and apart from\nmilitary or naval duties.\nSECTION 5. Information required.-(a) A recommen-\ndation in favor of a candidate for the award of either of the\nmedals established by Sections 2 and 3 of these Regulations\nmust be accompanied by (1) a full and complete statement\nof the candidate's outstanding endeavor or recognized\ncharacter and service achievement (including the times and\nplaces) which it is thought qualifies the candidate to receive\nthe medal suggested, (2) supporting statements by witnesses\nor persons having personal knowledge of the facts sur-\nrounding the candidate's unusual endeavor or recognized\nachievement, as the case may be, (3) a certified copy of the\ncandidate's birth certificate, or, if no birth certificate is\navailable, other authentic evidence of the date and place of\nthe candidate's birth, and (4) a biographical sketch of the\ncandidate, including information as to his or her citizenship\nor habitual residence, as the case may require.\nSECTION 6. Procedure.-(a) All recommendations and\naccompanying documents and papers should be submitted\nto the Governor or chief executive officer of the state,\nterritory, or possession of the United States where the can-\ndidate's outstanding endeavor or achievement occurred. In\nthe case of the District of Columbia, the papers should be\nsubmitted to the Mayor. If the outstanding endeavor or\nachievement did not occur within the boundaries of any\nstate, territory, or possession of the United States, the pa-\npers should be submitted to the Governor of the state, or to\nthe chief executive officer of the territory or other posses-\nsion of the United States, wherein the candidate habitually\nmaintains his or her residence.\n4\n(b) The appropriate Governor or other chief executive\nofficer will consider the various recommendations received\nby him and after the close of the pertinent calendar year will\nnominate therefrom no more than two candidates for the\nYoung American Medal for Bravery and no more than two\ncandidates for the Young American Medal for Service who,\nin his opinion, are shown by the facts and circumstances to\nbe the most worthy and qualified candidates from his terri-\ntorial jurisdiction to receive consideration for awards of the\nabove-named medals, respectively.\n(c) Not later than March 15 of each year, the respective\nGovernors or other highest executive officers will submit\nthe names of the candidates nominated by them for bravery\nor for service performed in the prior calendar year and also\nsubmit the documents and papers containing the informa-\ntion required by these Regulations, together with any com-\nments they desire to make, to the Young American Medals\nCommittee, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.\n20530. From the candidates so submitted, the Young Amer-\nican Medals Committee will, with the approval of the\nAttorney General of the United States, select the candi-\ndates, who in its opinion are shown by the facts and circum-\nstances to be entitled to the medals, and will award appro-\npriate medals to the candidates so selected:\n(d) Nominations of candidates for medals will be consi-\ndered only when received from Governors or other chief\nexecutive officers of states, territories, or possessions of the\nUnited States but the nomination of candidates by such\nofficers shall not be considered mandatory.\n(e) If, in the opinion of the Attorney General, no candi-\ndate nominated for the award of any of the medals estab-\nlished by these Regulations for a given calendar year meets\nfully the exacting requirements warranted by the high\nnational honor to be conferred, that particular medal or\nmedals need not be awarded for that calendar year.\n(f) The decision of the Young American Medals Com-\nmittee awarding medals shall, when approved by the Attor-\nney General, be final and not subject to further review.\n5\nSECTION 7. Presentation.-(a) The Young American\nMedal for Bravery and the Young American Medal for\nService will be presented by the President of the United\nStates in person to the candidates finally selected and will be\npresented in the name of the President and the Congress of\nthe United States. The presentation ceremonies shall be\nheld at such time and place as shall be selected by the\nPresident and the Attorney General.\n(b) The Young American Medals Committee will offi-\ncially designate two adults (preferably the parents of the\ncandidate) to accompany each finally selected candidate to\nthe presentation ceremonies. The candidates and persons\ndesignated to accompany them will be furnished transpor-\ntation and other allowances.\n(c) There shall be presented to each recipient of a medal\nan appropriate certificate of commendation stating the cir-\ncumstances under which the act of bravery was performed\nor citing the outstanding recognition for character and\nservice, as the case may be. The certificate will bear the\nsignature of the President of the United States, the Attorney\nGeneral of the United States, and the members of the\nYoung American Medals Committee.\n(d) There shall also be presented to each recipient of a\nmedal a miniature replica of the medal awarded, in the form\nof a lapel pin.\nSECTION 8. Posthumous awards. In cases where the\nabove named medals are awarded posthumously, the\nYoung American Medals Committee will designate the\nfather or mother of the deceased or some other suitable\nperson to receive the medal on behalf of the deceased. The\ndecision of the Young American Medals Committee in\ndesignating the person to receive the medal posthumously\nawarded shall be final.\n6\nSECTION 9. Effective date.-These Regulations shall\nbe effective as of January 1, 1982.\nYoung American Medals Committee\nDirector of the FBI, Chairman\nAdministrator of the Drug Enforcement\nAdministration, Member\nDirector of the U.S. Marshals Service, Member\nDirector of the Office of Public Affairs, Member\nand Executive Secretary\n# # #"
}