[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 145 (Friday, October 22, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S13047]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           RECOGNITION OF THE ``WAKE UP. GET REAL.'' PROGRAM

  Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, earlier this week, I had the pleasure of 
visiting twice with students, educators, and parents from the Edmonds 
School District. During that visit, I heard more about a community 
effort that demonstrates the value of local ideas and local innovation. 
The program is titled, Wake Up. Get Real. and is the product of 
Edmonds-Woodway High School students who are taking leadership roles in 
eliminating substance abuse and violence in their schools.
  Some of those students are here this week in Washington, DC, and were 
able to join me on one of my regular radio shows where they shared 
their creative work with members of the media from across Washington 
State. While they are in town, I would like to take this opportunity to 
present them with one of my ``Innovation in Education'' Awards.
  Wake Up. Get Real.'s strength lies in the grassroots, community-
oriented nature of its effort, led by students, to reduce the violence 
and substance use that can tarnish a school's learning environment. The 
program is young, as it was only created this past spring, at the 
behest of students concerned about the perception of unsafe schools and 
an increasingly negative public perception of teens.
  Rather than accept such a situation, the students embarked on a 
crusade that upholds respect, dignity, and integrity while teaching 
their peers that there are a vast number of students who choose not to 
participate in substance abuse or in violent activity. Additionally, 
the students are teaching educators about what is causing problems in 
their school and helping them to eliminate alcohol and drug use and 
violence in their classrooms.
  All told, Wake Up. Get Real. generates increased community awareness; 
provides intervention and prevention from dangerous behavior at all 
grade levels (K-12); promotes increased educator focus on health as a 
factor in student learning; provides education materials for adults and 
students; and offers efficient access to referral resources.
  For a program with such young roots, one would expect that it would 
still be in its infant stages. Rather, Wake Up. Get Real. already touts 
widespread community support from the school district, local health 
care providers, area law enforcement, and even the Drug Enforcement 
Administration. Community support has been so strong that public 
service announcements are currently being run on various cable channels 
to heighten local awareness of this important campaign.
  When I began my Innovation in Education award program, my goal was to 
highlight the importance of local control in education. I couldn't ask 
for a better example than the students who lead Wake Up. Get Real. They 
have rallied the support of the community behind them and I commend 
them for their work in changing their schools for the better.

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