[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 9 (Friday, January 30, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E80-E81]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 21, 2004

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I would like to show my support for House 
Resolution 492, honoring the contributions of the 8,000 Catholic 
schools in our nation.
  I would also like to recognize the delegation of students, teachers, 
and parents who make the National Appreciation Day for Catholic Schools 
a special day by visiting Capitol Hill offices throughout this day. 
Their commitment to creating exceptional education opportunities and 
maintaining quality Catholic schools ensures that Catholic students 
will continue to benefit from their schooling for years to come. When 
the 2.5 million students currently enrolled in Catholic schools 
graduate, an overwhelming percentage of them will attend college. This 
is a clear sign of the powerful and positive impact Catholic schools 
are having on millions of our nation's children.
  I am a proud graduate of Catholic schools and have a first hand 
knowledge of the important role Catholic schools can play in the 
formation of hard-working, caring, and well educated Americans by 
teaching discipline, pride, and instilling a life-long love of learning 
in their students. I am so grateful to the priests, nuns and lay 
persons who taught me at St. Peter's Elementary, Holy Name Elementary, 
Parmadale, St. Aloysius Elementary, St. Colman Elementary and St. John 
Cantius High School. Their thirst for knowledge and desire to share it 
with others has played a critical role in my own life.
  Providing quality educational opportunities for all children is one 
of the most important

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goals of our country. Catholic schools, parents, and teachers across 
the nation play a critical role in achieving this end, and I again 
congratulate them for their ongoing contributions to education.

                          ____________________