[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 107 (Tuesday, September 5, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S8962]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     SAINT MICHAEL-ALBERTVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, ALBERTVILLE, MINNESOTA

 Mr. DAYTON. Mr. President, today I honor Saint Michael-
Albertville High School, in Albertville, MN, which recently earned an 
Award for Excellence in Education for its exceptional and innovative 
achievements in educating children.
  Saint Michael-Albertville High School is truly a model of educational 
success. Its students and staff recently completed a collaborative 
effort uniting the environmental sciences classes, studio art classes, 
and members of the community to create a mural, now displayed in the 
school's courtyard. The students also designed a flower garden to 
beautify the building's landscaping. Each of the mural's components 
depicts one of the four seasons in Minnesota.
  The mural, which was completed last November, was funded through a 
grant from the Minnesota Arts Board. Over 180 high school students 
contributed, under the direction of Mr. Danny Saathoff, an artist in 
residence. Students from the environmental sciences department helped 
develop the ideas for each component of the mural. Then studio art 
students transformed those ideas into a proposed design. A local 
business, Timberland Clothing Store, also helped install the finished 
mural in the courtyard.
  Although the Award for Excellence is in recognition of the school's 
creation of a mural, its academic performance over the past few years 
also merits recognition. In 2005, the high school received five stars 
in reading and four stars in math from the Minnesota Department of 
Education, which is a significant improvement over the three-star 
rating the district received in reading and math in 2004. The school 
also offers a College in a Classroom Program, allowing high school 
students to take college-level courses and earn college credits through 
a partnership with St. Cloud State University.
  Much of the credit for the Saint Michael-Albertville High School's 
success belongs to its Principal, Mark Minkler, and the dedicated 
teachers. The students and staff at Saint Michael-Albertville High 
School understand that, in order to be successful, a school must go 
beyond achieving academic success; it must also provide a nurturing 
environment where students can develop the knowledge, skills, and 
attitudes for success throughout life. All of the faculty, staff, and 
students at Saint Michael-Albertville High School should be very proud 
of their accomplishments.
  I congratulate Saint Michael-Albertville High School in Albertville 
for winning the Award for Excellence in Education and for its 
exceptional contributions to education in Minnesota.

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