[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 59 (Wednesday, April 28, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4395-S4396]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNIZING THE WORLD CLASS SCHOLARS PROGRAM, ABERDEEN, WA

 Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, a constant theme heard in the 
economic

[[Page S4396]]

news of our country is the dramatic success and sustained growth of our 
nation's economy. My own state of Washington has been particularly 
fortunate in that regard, even give the much-talked about ``Asian 
flu.'' Not all of Washington's communities, however, have been so 
lucky. Among those is Aberdeen, in Grays Harbor County. Unemployment in 
Aberdeen is double the state average; over 17 percent of the county 
depends on public assistance as a primary source of income; and 27 
percent of the adult population has not completed high school. To 
combat these issues, the Aberdeen School District and Grays Harbor 
Community College came together in 1993 to create the World Class 
Scholars program which I am pleased to present with one of my 
Innovation in Education Awards.
  Recognizing that students were struggling to finish their education 
and would therefore be unqualified for many of the well paying 
technology-based jobs in Washington state, local educators created a 
new path to reach these workers of tomorrow--the World Class Scholars 
Program. The school district and community college agreed that students 
in the scholars program would automatically be accepted into the local 
community college, receive scholarship assistance and college credit 
for college-level work completed in high school. In return, students 
must follow through on a pledge made in the 7th grade to graduate with 
a ``B'' average. Students in the program also agree to demonstrate 
leadership and other interpersonal skills, volunteer at school or in 
the community, and become technologically proficient. This is exactly 
the kind of jump-start this community needed to encourage students to 
complete their education and to ensure that recent graduates have the 
tools necessary to compete for today's high-paying jobs.
  Each year, the number of students and volunteers involved in the 
World Class Scholars program continues to grow. But, perhaps of great 
mention, the number of other school districts participating throughout 
the county in collaboration with Grays Harbor Community College has 
also grown. In two years, the first class of high school students will 
graduate and the community's pledge to provide them with continued 
education will be honored. Clearly, Aberdeen and surrounding school 
districts have needs that are different, perhaps unique, from other 
localities throughout Washington state. They have met this problem head 
on and are well on the way to making their community a better place to 
live. The response of the Grays Harbor community perfectly demonstrates 
that local educators really do know best.
  In presenting my Innovation in Education Awards, I fall back on this 
common-sense idea, that it is parents and educators the who look our 
children in the eye every day that know best how to educate them. For 
too long, the federal government has been telling local schools that 
Washington, DC bureaucrats know best. Educators across Washington state 
and throughout the country, like those involved in the World Class 
Scholars program, deserve more decision-making authority they deserve 
and I pledge to work hard to return that power to them.

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