Capitol Words a project of the Sunlight Foundation

Sen. Tom Harkin

Mr. President, I would like to take a moment to recognize two individuals for their extraordinary service to the Everybody Wins! Program in Iowa.

As many of my colleagues know, Everybody Wins! is a literacy and mentoring program for elementary school students. The program gives adults the opportunity to spend one lunch hour a week reading with a child in a public school.

Fourteen years ago, Senator Jim Jeffords recruited me to join him as a volunteer for the Everybody Wins! Program in Washington, D.C. Since then, I have been an Everybody Wins! volunteer at Brent Elementary School in Washington D.C. I have seen the tremendous impact this program has both on the adult volunteers and their young student partners.

I was very happy when Everybody Wins! was launched in my home State of Iowa in 2002. Two people I want to recognize today joined Everybody Wins! as volunteer readers and founding board members in 2003. Both of them retired in the last year after contributing to the solid foundation on which the Iowa program rests today.

Mary Ann Nielsen joined the board of Everybody Wins! Iowa in the spring of 2003. She continued her service, including as president of the board, until May of 2011. Her work on the board included serving on three executive director search committees, as well as on the personnel and executive committees.

Amy Elbert also joined the board in the spring of 2003, and continued her service until May of 2011. She devoted substantial time and energy to fundraising, two executive director search committees, as secretary of the board, and as chair of the outreach committee. Amy also has enjoyed reading relationships through the program for the past 4 years.

For their commitment to our youth, to literacy, and their long-time contributions to Everybody Wins! Iowa, I extend my sincere thanks to Mary Ann and Amy and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.