1. Clearly define the platform issue to which you are sincerely committed and for which you will be an activist during your year of service.

• Children need a moral guidepost to help them navigate through our modern world. Many of the institutions and traditions that once helped make our country and its people strong and hopeful have eroded, and are no longer there to provide a framework for the majority of today's young people. With the decline of the traditional family, the reduced influence of the church, and the ever-present lure of drugs and alcohol, our children need an intervention program that will give them the tools they need to help them grow into respectful, loving, strong and healthy members of society. As a volunteer for the Greater Buffalo Salvation Army's After-School Program, I was given the opportunity to develop a character education program based on the "Character Counts" model. I have learned first-hand how to get a program started, and also how to act appropriately in the role of facilitator. My experiences have inspired me to speak out about the many benefits of this program, and also share my ideas about how programs like mine can be implemented in every community in our state.

2. What, if any, are your most significant accomplishments to date in regard to your platform issue?

• My most significant accomplishments have been a result of the work I've done creating and implementing a character education, after-school program with children in Buffalo's inner city. I've developed close relationships with about two dozen children who come from Buffalo's poorest, most crime-ridden and underserved neighborhoods. It has been quite an eye-opening experience to get to know these children, learn about their needs and work to make a positive impact on their lives. The work has been the most challenging and the most rewarding I have ever done in my life.

3. What do you wish to accomplish during your year of service as an activist for your platform?

•I will spend my year of service meeting with community leaders, parent groups, and lawmakers. My focus is to teach them what character education is all about, how it can be implemented in their communities and also share with them my experiences as a Character Educator. Once they have a working understanding of the practical benefits of such a program, I would then encourage them to take steps to implement a character program in their communities. I will also lobby lawmakers to consider making character education programs mandatory for school children in our state.