[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 132 (Tuesday, September 20, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 20, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                  WEST VIRGINIA SCHOOLS RECEIVE AWARDS

  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Madam President, I am enormously proud to recognize 
three schools in West Virginia that have been selected to receive a 
national award by the U.S. Department of Education for their effort to 
combat drug abuse. The innovative programs of these schools can serve 
as an inspiration to other schools in West Virginia and across the 
country.
  Richmond Elementary in Kanawha County received this honor in 1992. 
McKinley Elementary in Wood County, and Greenbrier East High School in 
Greenbrier County are winners of the 1994 National Drug-Free Schools 
Recognition Award. The U.S. Department of Education created this 
commendable program in 1987, to give national attention to those 
schools that have made outstanding progress in their efforts regarding 
drug prevention and intervention.
  The Richmond Elementary School drug prevention program is unique 
because it draws support and participation from both students and 
adults in the community. Some of the activities include Drug Abuse 
Resistance Education [DARE], parent awareness workshops, a special 
needs library, Just Say No clubs, and motivational classroom programs. 
It is clear that this school has successfully integrated drug-free 
programs into the curriculum. I also want to note that each year this 
school participates in a Red Ribbon Rally that recognizes a commitment 
to a substance-free lifestyle. Like so many of West Virginia's schools, 
Richmond Elementary educates students to be productive citizens in a 
complex society through the numerous programs that have provided a 
positive atmosphere conducive to learning.
  McKinley Elementary is another school in West Virginia that will 
receive a drug-free recognition award from the Department of Education. 
Many of the students attending McKinley are street wise children from 
single parent homes. Thus, the school works tirelessly to prepare these 
students for a prosperous future that is devoid of drugs and other 
detrimental influences. McKinley Elementary is also well regarded for 
its after-school program. The primary goals of this program are 
building self-esteem, encouraging students to stay in school, and 
ensuring that proven students remain drug-free. McKinley's efforts have 
shown to be successful and have also helped improve attendance at 
school.
  The Greenbrier East High School is the third winner of the U.S. 
Department of Education's Drug-Free School Recognition Program. 
Greenbrier follows the Horizons curriculum which provides hands-on 
educational experiences that include instruction in the areas of 
communication, self-esteem, managing stress, relationships, 
decisionmaking, and drugs. In addition, teachers have successfully 
included special drug awareness programs within the traditional 
classroom instruction. The students of Greenbrier East have 
demonstrated that they are a community that takes great pride in their 
school through their efforts to maintain standards of excellence.
  I am especially proud to recognize these recipients because I helped 
draft the original legislation for the Drug-Free Schools and 
Communities Act in 1986. This was first a comprehensive effort at the 
Federal level to ensure that drug education and substance abuse 
prevention would be offered in classrooms around the country. I have 
visited numerous schools in West Virginia to see how this program has 
worked. I am delighted that this program will be expanded under the 
elementary and secondary schools reauthorization bill recently passed 
by the Senate to cover violence prevention as well as drug education. 
Both of these issues are critical to achieve a safe environment in 
schools, which is necessary for our children to learn.
  Thanks to Goals 2000, which was signed into law by President Clinton 
on March 31, 1994, we have established in law our national education 
goals including that every school be safe and free of drugs and 
substance abuse by the year 2000. I believe that awareness programs 
will help us achieve this important goal.
  This Congress has made education a priority by enacting key 
legislation, including Goals 2000 and the School-to Work Opportunities 
Act, which I was proud to cosponsor. The reauthorization of the 
Elementary and Secondary Act is pending in conference and should be 
enacted by the end of the session. Enactment will restructure Federal 
programs and provide funding to move forward on fundamental education 
reform. All of these actions are crucial for our students and our 
future.

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