[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 6, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H2376-H2377]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  VISITS TO RICHLAND, CAMBRIA HEIGHTS, AND PURCHASE LINE HIGH SCHOOLS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, over the past couple of 
weeks I had the honor of visiting three high schools in my district, 
the Richland High School, near Johnstown, Cambria Heights High School, 
in Patton, and Purchase Line High School in Commodore, Pennsylvania.
  As a senior member of the House Education and Labor Committee, I love 
speaking with students about their learning experiences, and hearing 
from faculty and staff as well.
  Last week, the Richland School District invited me to join them for 
their Teacher-in-Service event with award-winning educator and 
principal, Salome Thomas-El. It was a pleasure to be with educators 
from the Cambria County area to hear the ways that we can work together 
to improve education in America.
  I enjoyed hearing Mr. Thomas-El discuss the change in attitudes and 
strategies of school staff, parents, and members of the community to 
help the students in most need of guidance. He is currently the head of 
the Thomas Edison Charter School in Wilmington, and before that, began 
his career as a teacher and chess coach at Vaux Middle School.
  Since then, he has published several books, received prestigious 
awards, appeared on television, and Disney recently optioned the movie 
rights to his best-selling book titled ``I Chose to Stay.'' He has 
committed more than 20 years of his life to answering the question of 
how to ensure that every child achieves their greatest potential.
  The question is one that all educators seek to answer and even 
policymakers in Congress; and that is why I will continue to support 
legislation and initiatives that meet the needs and grow the potential 
of every student.
  We must also address family poverty, child nutrition, community 
violence, and other barriers that affect student success.
  As Mr. Thomas-El says, All children can and will learn as long as 
they have adults who care enough. And he is right. In order for our 
country's students to truly succeed, they need the support from adults 
at home, in the classroom, and throughout their communities.
  I left the in-service event with Richland School District encouraged 
and

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confident that our educators are providing essential support to their 
students.
  That feeling stayed with me the next day as I visited Cambria Heights 
High School. There, I met with students representing music, athletics, 
student council, and vocational programs at the school. Students showed 
me the ongoing renovations to the high school building as part of a 
major renovation of the classrooms and the cafeteria.
  They also shared with me their many accomplishments that included 
earning top scores in the county on the State's Keystone Exams for 
literature and biology.
  Earlier this week I participated in an assembly at the Purchase Line 
High School in Indiana County. The students asked great questions about 
civic engagement, and we had an open dialogue about the challenges and 
the opportunities that are facing our Nation.
  Meeting with all these students gives me great hope for the future, 
and I know these students will become our next generation of leaders, 
regardless of what fields they enter after graduation.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the Richland School District, Cambria Heights 
High School, and the Purchase Line High School for inviting me into 
their schools and sharing with me the ways they are transforming 
education to help students not only graduate, but go on to earn a 
higher degree or a certification or, quite frankly, go successfully 
into the workforce.
  A good education opens so many doors in life. I am tremendously proud 
of the students, faculty, and staff of each of these outstanding 
institutions.

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