On May 24, 1999, the Valley Morning Star headlines state "AREA CRIME DOWN." San Benito, Harlingen, McAllen and Brownsville, Texas, had all noted significant declines in area crime. Harlingen was described as a city with ZERO VIOLENT CRIME. Statistics for all kinds of crime had dropped in these various cities. Harlingen’s acting Police Chief Robert Archer pointed out that it was difficult to cite one reason for the widespread decrease in crime. "They couldn’t quite put their finger on anything specific; there are a lot of factors that entered into it," he said. Robberies in Harlingen decreased significantly, as did burglaries and thefts.

The President of the Concerned Businessmen’s Association of America (CBAA), a non-profit, charitable, educational organization headquartered in Los Angeles, California, fostering the Children’s Set A Good Example Programs, noted: "It is interesting to note that 58,282 copies of The Way To Happiness, a common sense moral code containing 21 guidelines for better living, were provided to teachers and students in Harlingen and Cameron County Schools between 1990 and 1999 by Dr. Juan Villarreal, a local dentist sponsoring the contest."

Gail Thomason was the teacher in 1992 when students of Coakley Middle School in Harlingen received First Place National Honors for their project submitted to judges of the National Set A Good Example School Contest. Between 1990 and 1999, 85 Cameron County Schools were introduced to the contest and provided copies of The Way To Happiness and supplementary resource materials. The contest was simple. Students needed to plan and complete service projects that helped self, friends, family, community and country based on study of the common sense guidelines for living contained in the book.

	Gold medal winner Brian Jackola gets chummy with two Disney Characters.

By 1999, the National Set A Good Example School competition become so popular that more than 12 million students in 11,697 schools representing every state had become involved in doing student-planned projects to help get drugs off school grounds and stop violence. Between 1986 and 1999 the program was recognized 17 times in the United States Congressional Record for its effectiveness in reducing drug abuse, juvenile crime, violence and dropping out.

"Few media alerts, TV Talk show hosts and town meetings are focused on moral education as part of the solution to juvenile drug abuse, crime and violence. The Set a Good Example Contest may not be the only solution but it is a workable one."

After reviewing the results of the program, Mayor Connie de la Garza joined with Dr. Villarreal in pulling together the first Citywide Individual Children’s Set A Good Example Contest in America. By March 2000, it was in full swing with Gail Thomason acting as Program Director. Now in its third year, the program has become a highly acclaimed joint effort between the Mayor’s office, local civic and community leaders, youth groups, schools, parents and children. The program is funded entirely by Villarreal and other local businesses.

According to Mayor de la Garza, "The purpose of the citywide contest has been to encourage children to involve themselves in projects each has developed that contributes toward making things better for self, family, school and community. Their projects made a definite difference and their examples have created positive impact on many lives."

The top four winners of Harlingen Individual Children’s Set A Good Example Contest were awarded Olympic-style gold medals and a five-day Disneyland vacation with their parents and favorite teacher by 12 local community leaders acting as contest judges. Second- and third-place winners receive silver and bronze medals. In the only contest where every entry wins, each child completing a project is awarded recognition, a certificate of achievement and membership in the Set A Good Example Club.

Once back home from their Disneyland vacation, word of mouth spread very quickly about the fun the winners had there. Encouraged by what they heard, students in other parts of Cameron County managed to enter the contest in 2001, its second year. Dr. Villarreal who chairs the program and Mayor de la Garza decided this was reason enough to offer the contest to all students in the county.

The contest rules are very simple:

1. Contestants read The Way To Happiness book with their parents.

2. Next they plan and do an individual project that sets a good example and helps make things better for self, family, school, and community.

3. Finally they put together a project report and mail it to the Judges.

Free copies of the book and contest rules can be obtained from participating businesses in Harlingen and Cameron County by calling 956-428-5322.

Lauren Bothwell – 8 years old
Lauren organized a two-week toy drive that collected over 1,000 items at Treasure Hills Elementary school to be given to sick children in local hospitals. "I think that everyone can make a difference," she said. "Disneyland was a blast, Hollywood too.… I hope you do this, but most of all help make a difference in the world."

Audrey Kruse – 10 years old
Audrey organized a canned food and clothing drive for an orphanage in Metamoras, Mexico. "It reminded me of what so many of us take for granted," said Kruse, a student at Stuart Place Elementary School. "This program is a great program. It has been a whole lot of fun and everyone who does this program will make a difference in somebody’s life."

Elizabet Rodriguez – 13 years old
Elizabet set the example as an excellent student. She earned top awards and did her best in every subject or activity she undertook. She told those attending the awards event in Hollywood, "This program should be in schools all over the valley [Rio Grande] so the valley can be a better place to live."

Jack Parsonage – 17 years old
Jack organized a fund-raising activity for Ronald McDonald’s House that generated $2,500.00 to help a young boy who needed a lung operation. "I believe that by setting positive examples in my community and reaching the lives of others, they will follow," said Jack when interviewed about his project prior to the final awards event held in Anaheim, California.

Megan Riojas – 8 years old
Megan wanted to make nursing home residents feel special on Valentine’s Day so she organized a "Teddy Bear" Drive that netted enough bears to bring smiles of happiness to 119 people. Each bear was boxed with some candy and a card that said: "I Care!" This was only the first of several projects she did during the year to set the example for others.

David Garza – 11 years old
David wanted to change from being a problem to others. His teacher helped him overcome a lack of self-esteem by doing things that helped others. After he worked hard to help improve the environment and treat others as he would like to be treated by them, he wanted to thank his teacher for all she had done to help him. He wrote a letter nominating her as "Teacher of the Year." She won and so did David. In his letter he said, "Sometimes, people forget to let others know that they are important and make a difference like my teacher did for me."

Areeba Anam – 13 years old
Areeba made phone calls to collect new and used items such as clothing, toys, books and other things from merchants and people in Harlingen, McAllen and Brownsville. She donated 652 new and used to the Salvation Army Store in Harlingen. She said she had two reasons for doing this, "One, to learn the importance of the items, even the used ones; and, two, to provide a flash of joy to sick children in hospitals. As I know, an isolated moment of joy goes a long way in healing."

Paloma Quiroga – 12 years old

Juan Ramos, Jr. – 16 years old
At 16 he has earned the United States Leadership and Scholar Awards. Involved in 4-H, he has held President, First and Second Vice President, Health and Safety Officer, County Council Delegate, Historian, and served as Teen Leader for shooting sports. He raises cattle and goats and is up at 5:30 every day; whether it is a weekend or not, his animals are kept on schedule. He knows his decisions can affect the entire county as he works to help develop 4-H bylaws. He does numerous community service activities as well, including trash pick ups and the Adopt A Highway Program. An outstanding example, Juan is a young leader demonstrating responsibility and accountability in all his actions.

Rachel Hamameh – 6 years old
Rachel spent many hours helping a Korean student with English so he could pass first grade. Her mother gave her a piggy bank which she uses to save money to help other children. Rachel said, "It makes my heart happy to help other people, especially kids."

Brian Jackola – 11 years old
Justin planned his project, researched the information, designed brochures and a display, then typed up all the information, drew and printed the brochure and distributed it to hundreds of students and people in his community. Why? During the summer drought, his community ran out of water. He felt that teaching them about water conservation might help. He spent months doing this because he wants to "safeguard and improve the environment."

Jeremy Carnes – 14 years old
At fourteen, Jeremy is the President and CEO of his own landscaping business. Explaining how this came about, he says, "Basically my mom said I couldn’t just sit around at home and do nothing and she made me go to the library to find something to do. I found a book called Cash For Kids and took the examples they had for a child to start a landscaping business." Starting out with a borrowed lawn mower at 10, five years later Jeremy now has two employees, his own business card and equipment and a thriving business. He says it wasn’t easy at first, but now believes wholeheartedly in "being industrious."

Rachel Rheinhart – 17 years old
Rachel developed skits based on the various points covered in The Way To Happiness book by L. Ron Hubbard. She gathered some fellow classmates at her school and went around to different classes throughout the school and acted out the skits. She also created and helped with fundraising projects (garage sales, house cleaning, a blood drive for the Red Cross, selling pizza and Chinese food) to help raise money for worthy causes in her community.

Category 6–8 Muhammad Subhani
Category 9–11 Shayla Trevino
Category 15–17 Elias Robles, Jr.
2002 HARLINGEN

Category 6–8 Jane Claire Hervey
Category 9–11 Ifrah Kanwal
Category 12–14 Jennifer Nicole Ramos
Category 15–17 Kyle Stockton
2002 NATIONAL

Category 6–8 Sara Shoup
Category 9–11 Isaac Zeilinger
Category 12–14 Gina Lorene Riggs
Category 15–17 Katie Heaton
2002 NATIONAL

Category – 6–8 Alex Vu
Category – 9–11 Benjamin Smith
Category – 12–14 Maret Maliniak
Category – 15–17 Julian Christoffel

To learn more about the 20-year history of the Children’s Set A Good Example School and Student Contests, visit http://www.cbaa.org

Nancy Cartwright (center), the voice of Bart Simpson, Rena Weinberg (left), President of ABLE International and Robert Ayash, Chairman of Concerned Businessmen’s Association of America, join the gold medal winners of the 2001– 2002 Set A Good Example Contest on stage in Hollywood after their week’s vacation including Disneyland.

Why this program? Why The Way To Happiness book? What is it all about?

Freedom lies in knowing the difference between what is thought right and what is thought wrong.

At present our culture abounds with actions that seem entirely "off the cuff." The event might be the terrifying presence of a gun in a schoolyard. Or the tragic comedy of a middle-aged executive deserting his family because he "deserves to have some fun." Or the monotone habits of the co-worker simply marking time at his desk each day, unaware that he’s part of a group that could use his help.

How confused are our children morally? In a recent survey of American high school seniors, 95% of the males agreed that "it’s important for me to be a person with good character." Yet in the same survey, more than half of these future fathers, workers and community leaders stated, "A person has to lie or cheat some times to succeed."

What becomes of the group – whether a family, a business, law enforcement agency, community, or government – in a society where it is every man for himself? While we might not like telling others what to do, their actions can either expand or limit the possibilities of our lives.

Part of the answer to this dilemma is to forge agreements among group members, especially youth – as they are the future, regarding right and wrong conduct. This is the subject of morals.

As we move into the new century, we are much more able to build weapons of mass destruction – whether bombs, drugs or degraded entertainment – than to agree what is right and what is wrong.

In earlier cultures (and a few contemporary ones), religion provided guidance regarding right and wrong. But abuses of this influence have led to general agreement that the church and state should remain separate.

Today there is no consistent moral code. There is only disagreement, nation to nation, state to state, community to community, business to business, family to family, and person to person.

What does this mean, in practical terms? Loan defaults and fraud become part of the "cost of doing business," right along with pencils and chairs. Parents watch helplessly as their children practice the "individual right" of consuming illegal drugs. A population that yearns for "family values" supports a multibillion dollar pornography industry.

Nearly two decades ago, L. Ron Hubbard confronted this moral confusion. "Reading the papers and wandering around in the society, it was pretty obvious that honesty and truth were not being held up to the standards they once had," he observed. "People and even little children in schools have gotten the idea that high moral standards are a thing of the past."

In response, Mr. Hubbard took a typically direct course of action. He set out to compile a moral code based on common sense, a tool for those whose survival was threatened by the misconduct of others. The code that he produced, The Way To Happiness, a common sense guide to better living, is both unique and accessible. It is not a reflection on human failings, but a tool to help others increase their survival potential.

Since its first publication, The Way To Happiness has been enthusiastically received around the world. It has been printed and reprinted; at this writing, 57 million copies are in circulation, in 38 languages.

Whether it is given to a troubled youth, a victim of war or a worried parent, The Way To Happiness changes lives. The parent of one child using the book while involved in the Set A Good Example Contest put it this way: "This program encourages kids to set a good example and make a difference in our community. The positive effects that one person can make for the good of the family, a school, and a community can create a ripple of further good for all people."

Kids In Action – improving the environment. Five youth were awarded cash prizes for safeguarding and improving the environment as part of their Set A Good Example Contest projects based on The Way To Happiness book.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors commended Mayor Roosevelt Dorn, the Police Department and Dr. Richard Palmquist of Inglewood, California,, as the first city in the state to pull together a citywide Children’s Individual Set A Good Example Campaign and Student Contest. They also commended gold-medal winners of the National Competition from La Cañada and Diamond Bar, California, along with other students earning top honors from the judges.

The City Council of Elizabeth New Jersey, proclaimed November as Set A Good Example Month to acknowledge 13-year-old Lourdes Keochgerein who earned top honors in the National Children’s Individual Contest. Sponsoring the program for that city are the owners of two International House of Pancakes restaurants. The council resolution urges the citizens of the city to take great pride in the good work and examples the children have set. A letter of commendation was received from Governor James McGreevey.

Governor John Engler, on behalf of the citizens of the state of Michigan, commended Dr. Abe Gershonowicz for his contributions and support in the Children’s Set A Good Example Competition and his continued work in setting good examples of honesty, trustworthiness, tolerance and understanding for the youth of Michigan and the nation.

Governor Frank O’Bannon of Indiana proclaimed Set A Good Example Month in his state inviting all citizens to take the time and recognize all youth for their positive actions and examples they set for their community. This was in support of the efforts of Dr. Matthew Logmann, a local dentist bringing the contest to the children of Hammond, Indiana.

Governor Don Sundquist of Tennessee commended six children taking top honors in the National Children’s Individual Set A Good Example Contest. The program is sponsored in Collierville, TN by Dr. Glenn Burford.

Businesses and professionals in various other cities are supporting and bringing the Individual Children’s Set A Good Example Student Contest to their communities too. See the listings in this newsletter for the sponsor nearest your area.

Mayor Connie de la Garza (left) and Dr. Juan Villarreal (right) present Senior Judge of the Set A Good Example Contest, Mrs. Lee Means (center) with a leather bound gift copy of The Way To Happiness book.

Yvonne Braithwhite Burke, presents a commendation to Dr. Richard Palmquist, Co-Chairman for the City of Inglewood. The Mayor and Police Department are committed to duplicating Harlingen’s City Wide Set A Good Example Contest. The first city in California to do so.