Amy Achor

As a 17-year-old high school student, Amy Achor was selected as one of ten delegates from Waco, Texas, to attend the Presidents' Summit for America's Future in April 1997. As a participant in community and national break-out sessions, Amy was an active representative of our nation's youth. She worked with other youth delegates to develop a positive youth response and commitment to the goals of the Summit.

After the Summit, Amy brought the Summit's message to Waco. She organized the Central Texas Youth Summit with more than 1,500 young people. She led a group of 60 young people involved in planning and executing all facets of staging the summit, including publicity, raising funds, organizing registration and securing keynote speakers. The goal for the local summit was to inspire young people to volunteer their time to local community organizations and services.

As a result of her efforts with the Central Texas Youth Summit, two participants have spread the message and teachings of the Summit to more than 600 local Girl Scouts. In addition, one local middle school has formed a youth advisory council to partner with the city council to address the issues that face young people.

Amy started volunteering at the age of 11 through her church. On a visit to a nursing home, she concluded that the residents did not have enough interaction with people. As a result, in the summer of 1996, she co-founded Loving Hands, a group of youth that visits with the elderly and shut-ins. What started as two girls paying a one-time visit to a cancer patient grew into an informal group of young people making regular visits on Sunday afternoons. Though she will be leaving for college soon, Amy has made plans to ensure the future of the group.

Besides her volunteer activities, Amy is an excellent student at Midway High School and will graduate fourth in a class of 405 students. Amy has several leadership roles in her school, including serving as president of the French Club and vice president of the English Club. She is also involved with her school's newspaper, the student council and Debate and Forensics Club.

Amy's commitment, dedication and leadership to volunteerism have given her the respect of her peers, adults and leaders throughout the country. She is currently working on the National Youth Movement – a group of 10 young people who will follow through with a youth response to the Presidents' Summit for America's Future.