[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 101 (Thursday, July 28, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: July 28, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                             PROJECT FIRST

 Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, I have long been concerned about 
intolerance in our society. The diversity of our culture is one of our 
greatest strengths, but unfortunately we have found that with diversity 
often comes intolerance. But that does not need to be the case. In 
Illinois, one high school is proving that tolerance can be taught.
  University High School at Illinois State University, has been 
conducting an experiment designed to teach high school students to work 
with each other and to make their diversity a source of strength 
instead of conflict. Project FIRST [Freshmen Initiative Restructuring 
Schools Together] uses cooperative learning, integrated classrooms and 
team teaching techniques to teach students to work with people of 
different backgrounds toward a common goal. It also uses literature to 
introduce students to the topic of tolerance, and invites students to 
relate what they read to their own lives. According to a recent study 
of students and teachers, the results of this experiment have been 
good. Freshman attendance has been up, and student participants report 
that the project brings them closer together and allows them to know 
more about their similarities and differences.
  Project FIRST is an example of the kinds of innovative educational 
programs that we should be encouraging across the country. It not only 
motivates students in their studies but also introduces the issue of 
tolerance into the classroom, where important progress can be 
made.

                          ____________________