[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 23 (Wednesday, March 6, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E284]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HEART OF A CHAMPION PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KAY GRANGER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 6, 2002

  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, each of us shudders in horror when we hear 
about a school shooting or about the drug and alcohol abuse that haunts 
our youth. We immediately want to do something--perhaps draft new 
legislation--something, anything, that will make things ``safe'' for 
our children and grandchildren.
  As a former teacher with three children of my own, I know the anxiety 
and anguish that students and their parents often experience in facing 
the world today--it can be a very scary place.
  So, last December, I sponsored a Safe Schools Summit in Fort Worth, 
Texas. Five hundred middle school and high school students from across 
my district participated in this 3-hour session. They were students of 
all races and backgrounds, male and female. The purpose of this summit 
was to hear directly from the students about how they felt in their 
schools. It was an amazing day, and the students produced some 
remarkable and somewhat surprising results.
  Today, I want to talk about what the students said about character 
education. The students told me that they would feel safer at their 
schools if there were greater attention to the development of character 
in those schools. We found that students overwhelmingly support 
character education in their school, by nearly 80%. I knew that parents 
and educators were supportive of quality character education programs, 
but I learned through that gathering of students that, these young 
people also know that character is the critical element for creating 
safer schools. Yes, there are mechanical and physical elements of a 
safe school, but these students identified a ``human'' element of safe 
schools, and character is a critical aspect of that element. To 
simplify, these students know that in order to have safe schools, we 
must have safe students.
  On February 4th, what I believe will be one of the most effective 
character education programs in the nation was launched in my district. 
The Heart of a Champion character development program is a one-of-a-
kind curriculum that combines video, and audio, with a print 
curriculum, to reach today's ``sight and sound'' generation on a year-
round basis. Heart of a Champion's founder, Steve Riach, has created a 
comprehensive in-class program to reinforce positive character traits 
and virtues, and demonstrate examples of persons with high character to 
students in our schools.
  Using positive role models, the Heart of a Champion program tells the 
stories of widely known athletes--stories that demonstrate virtues such 
as commitment, perseverance, integrity, courage, honesty, discipline, 
responsibility and fairness. These stories, and the application lessons 
that follow, encourage students to examine these character traits, and 
inspire them to embrace and integrate those traits into their own 
lives. It is a winning formula.
  The Heart of a Champion program, has already received the endorsement 
of several key national community and educational groups, and their 
representatives will meet with members of the Department of Education 
later this month. I believe there is nothing else like this program 
available for schools today. I am in full support of this program and 
believe it will have a dramatic impact.
  President Bush has repeatedly said that character education in our 
nation's schools is of great importance in this day. He is aware that 
each year, 10 million school kids abuse alcohol or drugs; that 65 
percent of youth in school say they are sexually active by the 12th 
grade; and that 80 percent admit to cheating in school. We know there 
is a problem that needs our attention. I believe that character 
education programs like Heart of a Champion are a solution for this 
generation.
  My fellow members of the House, we all agree our young people are the 
most valuable asset we have for our nation's future. That is why I 
believe the Heart of a Champion program is so necessary for our country 
at this time. This program will provide our kids with the character our 
society so desperately needs; will give them direction for the future, 
and will create champions in our schools, homes, and communities--young 
men and women of character who will become leaders for the next 
generation. But that can only happen if leaders like you and I show our 
young people that we truly care about them, by getting behind this 
program and helping to see that no young person is ``left behind'' in 
the development of their character.
  Mr. Speaker, I invite all of my colleagues to get to know the Heart 
of a Champion program. I am confident that you will see the powerful 
impact it can have on the youth of your cities and counties. Today, it 
is impacting my district. Tomorrow, with your help and support, it 
could make a difference in yours.

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