Visiting the youth of tomorrow in Manassas
Governor Warner made a quick stop in Manassas today, presenting scholarships to high school students at the Manassas Rotary Club and visiting students at the Youth for Tomorrow residential school in Bristow.
After speaking to a crowd of 80 local Rotary Club members at City Tavern, Governor Warner joined State Sen. Chuck Colgan in awarding four high school students with $1,000 scholarships on behalf of the Rotarians. He also presented the 2008 Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Awards to three great educators: Ann Kulakowski from Manassas City, Jeffery Florio from Manassas Park City, and Lisa Racine from Prince William County.
From there, he went to visit Youth For Tomorrow, a residential school for at-risk youths in Bristow founded by former Redskins coach Joe Gibbs. Governor Warner was able to tour their beautiful facilities, and had some great conversations with the students there.
He visited the home of Douglas and Angela Davis, who are houseparents at Youth For Tomorrow, and got a chance to hear about some of the challenging but rewarding work they are doing. He also sat down with eight students and engaged in a very moving conversation with them about the struggles they have faced and the hard work they are doing to overcome their adversities.
Governor Warner spoke to students and faculty at the school about his life and his own challenges in overcoming adversity. He told the students how he was the first in his family to graduate from college, and paid his own way, thanks to student loans and part-time jobs.
He told them he entered the business world right after college and failed twice before finally succeeding on his third try – when he helped co-found the cell phone company Nextel. He told the young people his own experience is an example of how, in America, everyone should get a fair shot, and he promised to work hard to expand opportunities for all Virginians if he has the privilege of serving in the U.S. Senate.