[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 190 (Thursday, November 30, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2268-E2269]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  TRIBUTE TO A SAN DIEGO EMPLOYER WORKING FOR TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION

                                 ______


                     HON. RANDY ``DUKE'' CUNNINGHAM

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 30, 1995

  Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a local 
employer in San Diego which has made a special commitment to advancing 
the use and availability of high technology in education. That employer 
is Sony Electronics, Inc., which has a major plant in Rancho Bernardo, 
in my congressional district.
  Technology in education is one of my great interests and top 
priorities. For several years, 

[[Page E2269]]
and in several ways, Sony Electronics Inc. has demonstrated a strong 
interest in the education of children.
  Sony has been an active participant in all five of my annual TechFair 
education-high technology symposia. TechFairs bring local high school 
students together with San Diego's leading high-technology employers 
and researchers. The students learn about career opportunities in high 
technology, and speak one-on-one with men and women who work in high-
technology fields every day. They learn what kind of education they 
need to succeed in the good paying, high-technology careers of today 
and tomorrow. This year's TechFair, held at the new Scripps Ranch High 
School, featured a demonstration of Sony's new digital satellite 
communications technology. Partly as a result of Sony's longstanding 
commitment to technology in education, the 1995 TechFair was the 
biggest and best ever.
  They have also sponsored the 24 Challenge mathematics competition I 
initiated with San Diego schools.
  I have also had the privilege of addressing students participating in 
Sony's Student Project Abroad. Under this program, Sony selects top 
math and science from around the country in an educational and cultural 
exchange. They spend 2 weeks visiting Sony plants in San Diego and 
Japan, and learn about high-technology manufacturing.
  Most recently, on October 12 and 13, Sony participated in a distance 
learning conference based in Johnston, IA, with Gov. Terry Branstad and 
other State and local officials. They explored and shared ways to 
affordably link rural areas, particularly our schools, through new 
telecommunications technologies.
  The future of our work to expand the technological literacy of the 
next generation of Americans depends not on larger Federal programs run 
from Washington, or on an expansion of the huge national debt. Our 
promise lies in the ingenuity of individuals and private enterprise, 
and companies like Sony, who are willingly volunteering their personnel 
and expertise to inspire and teach tomorrow's scientists and engineers.

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