08-R292

2008 -- S 3025

Enacted 06/12/08

 

 

J O I N T  R E S O L U T I O N

WELCOMING THE 2007 MISS AMERICA LAUREN NELSON TO THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND THANKING HER, COX COMMUNICATIONS NEW ENGLAND, AND THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS FOR THEIR EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF CHILDREN AND INTERNET SAFETY

     

     

     Introduced By: Senator Daniel P. Connors

     Date Introduced: May 21, 2008

 

     

 

     WHEREAS, In January of 2007, the beautiful and talented Miss Lauren Nelson became

the 86th woman to be crowned Miss America. As her personal platform, Lauren chose to

champion the very worthwhile cause of making the internet a safer place for children; and

      WHEREAS, During her yearlong reign as Miss America, Lauren took the opportunity to

really make a difference, and worked with numerous organizations in conjunction with Internet

Safety-Protecting Kids Online; and

      WHEREAS, Joining forces with John Walsh and the staff of the acclaimed television

program “America’s Most Wanted”, Lauren helped to produce four arrests of online predators,

and her image was used as a web browser by the Children’s Educational Network to help parents

monitor their children’s internet usage. Lauren also testified before the United States Senate

Commerce Committee, and has lectured extensively to young audiences across the country; and

      WHEREAS, Lauren’s passion for protecting children on the internet began as a very

young woman, when a man posing as someone their age approached her and her friends on the

internet. To our very good fortune, Lauren’s commitment to her crusade did not end when her

year as the reigning Miss America came to a close, and her continued discourse and travel on

internet safety brought her to Rhode Island; and

      WHEREAS, Cox Communications New England sponsored a “Teen Summit”

addressing dangerous internet activities as part of the company’s “Take Charge!” Initiative. In

addition, Cox donated a new $25,000 technology center at the East Providence Boys and Girls

Club; and

      WHEREAS, Lauren Nelson led the Cox Communications summit, and took part in a

roundtable discussion with the six young people chosen by the Boys and Girls Club as their

“Rhode Island Youth of the Year”; and

      WHEREAS, Representing the Boys and Girls Clubs of East Providence, Pawtucket,

Cumberland/Lincoln, Warwick, Providence and Newport are Katelyn Rodrigues, Yasmine D.

Lima, Christy L. Lynch, Jessi L. Charette, Jason T. McClurg, and Kirsten R. Maloney,

respectively; and

      WHEREAS, Miss America Lauren Nelson is a true role model for her generation. Her

dedication to making the internet a safer place for all our children together with the generosity of

Cox Communications New England, and the exceptional representation of the Boys and Girls

Clubs’ Rhode Island Youth of the Year is genuinely laudable and worthy of our gratitude and

recognition; now, therefore be it

      RESOLVED, That this General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island and Providence

Plantations hereby warmly welcomes Miss Lauren Nelson, the 2007 Miss America, to the Ocean

State. We thank Lauren, Cox Communications New England, the Rhode Island Youth of the

Year, and all the young people of the Boys and Girls Clubs for their commitment to making the

internet a safer place for our children. We wish Lauren much happiness, good health, and

continued success in all her future endeavors; and be it further

      RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Miss Lauren Nelson.

     

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LC02971

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