[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 50 (Wednesday, April 29, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E697-E698]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            GREAT MILLS HIGH SCHOOL EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. STENY H. HOYER

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 29, 1998

  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of the 
outstanding high schools in the great State of Maryland. Since 1927, 
Great Mills High School has set an example in Southern Maryland and 
across the State for its dedication to educating tomorrow's leaders. 
For more than 70 years, Great Mills has been a partner with the local 
community, providing students valuable opportunities both inside and 
outside of the classroom.

[[Page E698]]

  As we celebrate the success of Great Mills High School, we must not 
forget the partnerships the school has forged with the community. 
Through a joint initiative called ``Partnerships for Success'', 
students have had the opportunity to become involved in all aspects of 
the St. Mary's County community. Whether taking advantage of after 
school tutoring by personnel at nearby Patuxent River Naval Air 
Station, working in a cooperative program with a local business, taking 
classes at St. Mary's College through the Charlotte Hall Fellowship 
Program, or volunteering with the Special Olympics, Great Mills 
students are an important and vital resource to the County.
  Today, Great Mills offers a richly diverse student body the same 
valuable opportunities in education and extracurricular activities, as 
it did seventy years ago. Whether students choose to go on to pursue a 
bachelors degree, join the workforce, or serve our country in the Armed 
Services, all of them possess a solid high school education and a firm 
foundation for succeeding in life.
  While the surrounding region has transformed, the quality of the 
Great Mills graduate has not. Thanks to a hard working faculty, a 
strong network of parent volunteers, a student body of academic 
achievers and a caring community, graduates continue to excel. Their 
academic success can be measured in their career choices--championship 
coaches, test pilots, doctors, Congressmen, olympians and teachers. All 
of them have gained their educational foundation in the classrooms of 
Great Mills High School.
  In the coming years, the list of outstanding graduates is certain to 
grow. Great Mills is poised and ready to give its students a quality 
education as we approach the new millennium. While the Southern 
Maryland region continues to lead the State in growth, the $14 million 
dollar expansion and renovations of the school are sure to ease the 
pressures of a growing student body. With a first rate faculty, new 
computer and science labs, superior athletic facilities and expanded 
capacity, students have all of the tools necessary for the future. The 
dedication of the new and expanded Great Mills High School represents a 
true Celebration of Community. Congratulations and best wishes to the 
students, faculty, staff and to each and every one of the individuals 
dedicated to the future of Great Mills High School.

                          ____________________