[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 58 (Thursday, May 5, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E898]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN HONOR OF CURTIS HIGH SCHOOL UPON ITS RECEIPT OF THE COLLEGE BOARD'S 
                         2005 INSPIRATION AWARD

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                           HON. VITO FOSSELLA

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 5, 2005

  Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to recognize today the great 
achievements of a high school in my hometown of Staten Island: Curtis 
High School (CHS). This important educational institution has just been 
given a $25,000 check from the College Board to accompany the school's 
receipt of the 2005 Inspiration Award. The Board levies this honor 
annually on only 3 schools that help students achieve equitable access 
to higher education despite social, economic, and cultural challenges. 
A focus on attendance led to CHS' receipt of the award this year. The 
school's pioneering programs have led to 90 percent attendance rate and 
an 88 percent rate of graduation. Such a feat is truly amazing 
considering the schools circumstances.
  CHS is a 100-year-old Gothic-style building, embellished with 
gargoyles and ornate stone archways. The school has an active alumni 
association, and many of its teachers are graduates, but CHS has 
changed dramatically since the days when it served a small, homogeneous 
middle-class community.
  Today, Curtis High School functions at 160 percent of capacity. 
Forty-six percent of its students are documented at or below the 
federal poverty level, and more than half of its students receive free 
or reduced-price lunches. Among its racially diverse population of more 
than 2,600 students, 40 percent are white, 33 percent are black, and 20 
percent are Hispanic. The school also serves children who are recent 
immigrants from Latin America, West Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia.
  Curtis High School credits its success to 10 small learning 
communities called ``houses.'' Every freshman who enters CHS chooses 
among the themed tracks, which include such varied subjects as the 
performing arts, Junior ROTC, business and computer science, nursing, 
and journalism. Each house has unique electives that develop the 
student's particular talents and interests--be it dance, computer 
graphic design, or law--while maintaining a college-preparatory 
curriculum for all students.
  The school also offers afternoon and weekend tutoring programs, 
active college counseling, and a mentoring program that targets recent 
immigrants and students with little parental guidance. The Career 
Connections program, a partnership among CHS, local businesses, and 
other community-based organizations, helps students to upgrade their 
resumes by finding paid internships and part-time employment 
opportunities. Principal Curtis has also introduced programs for 
parents, such as ``Parents As Art Partners,'' which offers a free 
photography class, to create more parent involvement at the school.
  These innovative initiatives and the school's commitment to its 3 
foundations of success, ``Attendance, Attitude and Achievement,'' have 
allowed literally thousands of children to gain a high school diploma 
in the face of tremendous odds. In doing so, such efforts have put 
these children on the path to a better life, free from the shackles of 
poverty. I am honored to recognize this fine institution and hope its 
efforts serve as a model for schools throughout the country. The CHS 
example shows there is no limit to human ingenuity and that through 
creativity, commitment and perseverance, we can provide a better life 
for generations to come.

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