[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 24 (Thursday, March 7, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            TRIBUTE TO TRAVERSE CITY WEST SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BART STUPAK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 7, 2002

  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
administration, staff, and students of Traverse City West Senior High 
School, a school in northern Michigan. In just four years Traverse City 
West has distinguished itself through the academic success of its 
students and through national recognition of the school's visual and 
performing arts programs.
  Barbara M. White, a distinguished former president at Mills College 
in Oakland, California, is quoted as saying, ``The basic purpose of a 
liberal arts education is to liberate the human being to exercise his 
or her potential to the fullest.'' Upon hearing those words, I'm sure 
most listeners would immediately think of a college or university 
education, but Traverse City West Senior High is preparing its students 
for a successful life at the high school level.
  The school's fine arts curriculum includes a choral program with six 
performing groups, band and orchestra, an award-winning newspaper and 
yearbook, theater arts, video and production; there are classes in 
photography, pottery, ceramics, metals, jewelry, drawing and painting, 
sculpture, computer art and traditional American arts.
  For those students not taking formal arts classes, the Humanities 
program includes extensive exposure to painting, sculpture, music, 
dance and film. The arts are incorporated into the science, math and 
language areas, according to the expertise of the teacher and in 
collaboration with the arts department. Finally, the school itself is 
decorated with art murals and stained glass windows designed by 
students, and music is incorporated into classroom study and even staff 
meetings.
  The study of other cultures, other peoples and other times is part of 
the school's comprehensive learning environment. Mr. Speaker, these 
programs have strong parental support for projects and field trips. 
Accustomed as we may be to booster clubs for sports programs, this 
``booster'' spirit for the study of arts, crafts and humanities must be 
viewed as unique at the high school level.
  I do not rise today, Mr. Speaker, to propose that Traverse City West 
Senior High be taken as the model for all high schools. I rise merely 
to point out that a combination of hard work and a rich environment can 
produce academic success. For example, in 2000 Traverse City West 
received the Governor's Cup for the big North Conference for having the 
most Michigan Merit Award recipients, and its total placed it sixth in 
the state. The Michigan Merit Award is a college scholarship based upon 
performance on the Michigan Educational Assessment Program. I should 
note that this number is more remarkable when one considers that 
Traverse City West received the least amount of money per student of 
the top ten schools listed, and it had the highest percentage of 
students on the free and reduced lunch program.
  Consider, too, that in the four years Traverse City West Senior High 
has been open, its students have scored above the state and national 
average on the ACT test. In 1999/2000 its composite ACT score was 21.8, 
compared to a Michigan average of 21.3 and a national average of 21.0. 
As I mentioned earlier, the school's newspaper and yearbook have been 
honored statewide, its theater department recognized nationally, and 
its music department a finalist in an international competition.
  Mr. Speaker, the efforts of the administration, staff, parents and 
students at Traverse City West High School to acknowledge the arts an 
essential part of education has now been recognized nationally. The 
school was recently notified it is the winner of the ``Creative Ticket 
National School of Distinction Award'' from the John F. Kennedy Center 
for the Performing Arts. As a result of this award, a representative 
group of students has been invited to travel here to Washington to 
perform at the Kennedy Center and to perform at a congressional 
breakfast celebrating National Arts Day.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my House colleagues to join me in praise 
of the hard work and dedication of the administration, staff, parents 
and students of Traverse City West High School, a young school with a 
classical notion of a well-rounded education.

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