[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 71 (Thursday, June 4, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1023-E1024]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SALUTE TO THE PAINTSVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL COMMUNITY FUTURE PROBLEM 
                              SOLVING TEAM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HAROLD ROGERS

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 4, 1998

  Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Speaker, on June 12th and 13th the members of the 
Paintsville Middle School Community Future Problem Solving Team will be 
in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for the Future Problem Solvers of America 
national competition.
  This competition is an excellent opportunity for young men and women 
throughout our nation to put their creative thought processes to work 
as they find workable, innovative solutions to many of the problems 
that face our schools, communities, states and nation.
  The Paintsville Middle School Community Future Problem Solving Team 
has already demonstrated its outstanding problem solving abilities by 
winning the State of Kentucky's Problem Solving Competition. The group 
helped tackle a local school problem by trying to find a way to help 
improve student performance on state-required tests.
  They analyzed the current situation and came up with the idea of 
offering instant, confidential, one-on-one help through a free

[[Page E1024]]

Homework Hotline. The Team worked with the local telephone company and 
school officials to establish the Hotline, setting up both a telephone 
line and an Internet chat room. The members of the Community Problem 
Solving Team manned the Hotline under the supervision of adult 
volunteers and the 8th grade members of the Team.
  The response to the new Homework Hotline was extremely positive. 
Students who used the service became more adept at refining their 
questions and moved away from one-line fact requests to research-based 
inquiries for additional sources of information that they could access 
on their own. The Team is now considering continuing the program into 
next year.
  I want to congratulate all the members of the Paintsville Middle 
School Community Future Problem Solving Team: Catlin Boswell, Zachary 
Boswell, Ashley Boswell, Katie Brown, Hayley Castle, Elizabeth Combs, 
John Compton, Sashi Param, Malloree Collins, Katie Gilkerson, and John 
Petot. They have spent countless hours working on the Homework Hotline 
project, and their dedication to their community and fellow students 
should serve as an inspiration to us all. I also want to commend the 
Team's Coach, Brenda Porter, and the Team's advisors: Teresa Boswell, 
Larry Compton, Teresa Petot, and South Central Bell. Their support and 
guidance has been invaluable in spurring the success of the Community 
Future Problem Solving Team.
  Mr. Speaker, the activities of the Problem Solvers are important, and 
we should support their efforts. Today's problem solvers are tomorrow's 
problem solvers and community leaders. I ask my colleagues to join me 
in congratulating the Paintsville Middle School Community Problem 
Solving Team on a job well done, and to wish them the best of luck as 
they compete in Ann Arbor, Michigan, next week.

                          ____________________