[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 138 (Thursday, October 2, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1968]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RUFINO MENDOZA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KAY GRANGER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 2, 2003

  Ms. GRANGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding 
elementary school in my district. As a former school teacher, it is my 
distinct pleasure to honor Rufino Mendoza Elementary School in Fort 
Worth, TX. Recently, Mendoza was recognized by the U.S. Department of 
Education as a national ``Blue Ribbon school.''
  Rufino Mendoza Elementary was recognized for outstanding academic 
improvement, and Mendoza has worked very hard to achieve this honor. 
Mendoza has overcome incredible odds to offer the very finest education 
possible. Ninety-seven percent of the students at Mendoza Elementary 
school are of a minority background, and 87 percent of those students 
come from low-income families. In fact, most of the students qualify 
for the free lunch program, and 56 percent speak Spanish as their 
primary language.
  In the past 4 years, Mendoza has moved from being simply 
``acceptable'' to being an example of excellence for all schools across 
the Nation. Mendoza recognized its educational challenges 4 years ago 
and designed a plan to directly meet those challenges. Mendoza 
Elementary called together school administrators, teachers, and school 
district officials in a cooperative agreement to study the needs of 
each student. The result is an education system that is based on the 
needs and potential of every student.
  I am very proud of the students, parents, teachers, and 
administrators at Rufino Mendoza Elementary. Thanks to their hard work, 
Mendoza is a symbol of hope and achievement for students in our 
community and across this Nation.
  Rufino Mendoza Elementary, congratulations on being named a Blue 
Ribbon school.

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