[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 53 (Friday, April 4, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E518]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING THE OAKTON HIGH SCHOOL UPON ITS 40-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

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                             HON. TOM DAVIS

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 4, 2008

  Mr. DAVIS of Virginia. Madam Speaker, I would like to take this 
opportunity to pay tribute to Oakton High School as it prepares to 
celebrate its 40th anniversary.
  Oakton High School was the first high school established in the 
Providence District of Fairfax County. Originally founded in 1911, the 
school was located above the Sutton Store in Oakton, Virginia. In 1914, 
it relocated to a two-story building on Chain Bridge and Blake Lane, 
recognized today as ``Old Oakton High School.'' Oakton initially taught 
1- and 2-year courses, but by 1922 it had become a 4-year state 
accredited institution. Since then, Oakton High School has committed 
itself to lofty standards of academic and extracurricular excellence. 
The school provided the first indoor basketball court in all of Fairfax 
County, and in 1935 it graduated 235 students, a great academic 
accomplishment for the time period. As the Oakton area began to change 
from a rural community to a suburb of Washington, D.C., the growth in 
population required the construction of larger facilities. In 1967, 
Oakton High School was relocated to its current site on Sutton Road.
  Today, Oakton High School remains a distinguished and greatly lauded 
school in all aspects from sports to the arts to academics. In past 
years, U.S. News and World Report and Newsweek magazines have ranked 
Oakton High school one of the top 100 schools in the Nation. This year, 
Governor Kaine recognized Oakton High School with the 2008 Governor's 
Award of Excellence. Additionally, the school has won multiple State 
championships in men's and women's lacrosse, cross country, baseball, 
football, golf, and gymnastics. In the arts, the Virginia High School 
League has honored the band program multiple years in a row, and 
Oakton's One Act Play won the State championship in 1992.
  Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to thank the Oakton High 
School faculty and staff for the immeasurable contributions that they 
have made to the community by shaping today's youth and tomorrow's 
future. I congratulate the high school on its successes over the last 
40 years and I wish it more successful years in the future. I ask that 
my colleagues join me in applauding this outstanding and distinguished 
institution.

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