[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 102 (Wednesday, September 6, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S8100]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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  RECOGNITION OF TOM NORRIS AND JAMES BROWN FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 
                    FEDERAL WAY SUMMER MATH PROGRAM

 Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, imagine 140 students who want to 
spend their summer learning math. For students participating in the 
Summer Math Program at Thomas Jefferson High School in Federal Way, 
Washington, this is just the case. For the past five years, Tom Norris 
and James Brown have worked tirelessly and created a successful program 
that has dramatically improved the math skills of hundreds of students.
  When Mr. Norris and Mr. Brown started the Summer Math Program, they 
had five students in attendance. Since then, the program has become 
well-known throughout Thomas Jefferson High School as a resource for 
students struggling with math or hoping to improve their SAT scores and 
has grown by leaps and bounds.
  The Summer Math Program is based on a three part system that 
includes: Advanced Algebra or Pre-Calculus, an SAT summer program, and 
``The Math Team.'' The Advanced Algebra and Pre-Calculus course enables 
students who desire to complete Calculus before they leave high school 
to enroll in higher math classes in the following school year. The SAT 
summer program, offered at a much lower cost than other SAT review 
classes, equips students with the skills and confidence needed for 
their college preparatory exams. As a result, Thomas Jefferson High 
School has some of the highest SAT scores in the South Puget Sound of 
Washington State.
  Additionally, students who enjoy competing in math competitions can 
participate on the Math Team. Students practice throughout the summer 
in preparation for the annual national competition which took place in 
July. As a true testament to the excellence of the program, Mr. Norris 
and Mr. Brown coached the team to a fifth-place victory last summer 
when the students participated against 50 other schools. This certainly 
was a great accomplishment for the program and students participating!
  Samuel Kim, a Math Team member who will be a senior this year, told 
me that the Math Team, ``keeps you in the right frame of mind during 
summer so you can keep your math skills strong, and it gives you good 
interaction with others.'' Samuel had nothing but applause for his 
coaches stating, ``Mr. Norris is very friendly and inspirational, yet 
demanding and excited to see us succeed in competition, while Mr. Brown 
is more light-hearted in his motivational tactics.''
  The record of the Math Team and the achievements of students in the 
Summer Math Program speaks not only to the excellence of the program 
but also to the efforts and drive of both Mr. Norris and Mr. Brown. 
Their dedication to education, and math in particular, is rarely 
paralleled in other local school districts during the summer months. I 
am impressed with the dedication of these two men to their students' 
education even during the summer months. It is with great pleasure that 
I recognize them for their outstanding service to the students of 
Thomas Jefferson High School.

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