[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 152 (Wednesday, September 24, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S9406]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      CORNING COMMUNITY EDUCATION

 Mr. HARKIN. Madam President, in Iowa and across the United 
States, a new school year has begun. As you know, Iowa public schools 
have an excellent reputation nationwide, and Iowa students' test scores 
are among the highest in the Nation.
  I would like to take just a few minutes, today, to salute the 
dedicated teachers, administrators, and school board members in the 
Corning Community School District, and to report on their participation 
in a unique Federal partnership to repair and modernize school 
facilities.
  This fall marks the 10th year of the Iowa Demonstration Construction 
Grant Program. That is its formal name, but it is better known among 
educators in Iowa as the program of Harkin grants for Iowa public 
schools. Since 1998, I have been fortunate to secure a total of $121 
million for the State government in Iowa, which selects worthy school 
districts to receive these grants for a range of renovation and repair 
efforts--everything from updating fire safety systems to building new 
schools or renovating existing facilities. In many cases, this Federal 
funding is used to leverage public and/or private local funding, so it 
often has a tremendous multiplier effect in a local school district.
  The Corning Community School District received several Harkin fire 
safety grants totaling $193,244 which have been vital to the district's 
ability to maintain and keep buildings open. The high school was built 
in 1928 and had been cited by the State Fire Marshall for severe 
deficiencies. As a result of this funding, Corning Community School 
District was able to install an automatic door, a state of the art fire 
detection system, replace all the doors in the high school with 
automatic closures, and they are beginning the process of adding an 
elevator for students and others who use wheelchairs. The Federal 
grants have made it possible for the district to provide quality and 
safe schools for their students.
  Excellent schools do not just pop up like mushrooms after a rain. 
They are the product of vision, leadership, persistence, and a 
tremendous amount of collaboration among local officials and concerned 
citizens. I salute superintendent Mike Wells, the entire staff, 
administration, and governance in the Corning Community School 
District. In particular, I would like to recognize the leadership of 
the board of education--president Gary Goldsmith, Ralph Morales, Lori 
Harvey, Dr. Anna Leonard, and Shelly Barton and former members Nancy 
Turner, Pastor Andy Rubenking, and Reldon Ramsey, along with former 
superintendent, Gregg Fuerstenau. Gary Goldsmith insisted that the 
necessary improvements be made and that the school provide a safe 
learning environment for all children.
  In addition, I applaud the efforts of Gary Swartz with the Iowa 
Department of Education who provided guidance with the grant writing 
procedure and high school principal Kent Jorgensen who assisted with 
the grant application and who demonstrated an unwavering dedication to 
the students. Others who assisted the district with the Harkin grants 
are: Don Kenworthy, retired teacher/electrician who did much of the 
work and shared his expertise throughout the process; Dale Rohe from 
Feld Equipment for assisting the district in prioritizing needs and 
installing the fire detection system; mayor Guy Brace for his local 
support and guidance; and Chris Boswell, maintenance director who 
provided the labor force for the work and assisted with the repairs.
  As we mark the 10th anniversary of the Harkin school grant program in 
Iowa, I am obliged to point out that many thousands of school buildings 
and facilities across the United States are in dire need of renovation 
or replacement. In my State of Iowa alone, according to a recent study, 
some 79 percent of public schools need to be upgraded or repaired. The 
harsh reality is that the average age of school buildings in the United 
States is nearly 50 years.
  Too often, our children visit ultramodern shopping malls and gleaming 
sports arenas on weekends, but during the week go to school in rundown 
or antiquated facilities. This sends exactly the wrong message to our 
young people about our priorities. We have to do better.
  That is why I am deeply grateful to the professionals and parents in 
the Corning Community School District. There is no question that a 
quality public education for every child is a top priority in that 
community. I salute them, and wish them a very successful new school 
year.

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