[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 164 (Thursday, October 17, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5890-S5891]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING YARMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL
Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am delighted to commend Yarmouth High
School of Yarmouth, ME, on being named a 2019 National Blue Ribbon
Exemplary High Performing School. This outstanding high school is one
of only 362 schools across the country to receive Blue Ribbon
recognition this year from the U.S. Department of Education.
Created in 1982, the Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors schools that
are either academically superior in their States or that demonstrate
significant gains in student achievement. The schools singled out for
this national recognition are models of high educational standards and
accountability.
This award recognizes the hard work and determination of Yarmouth
High School's students, faculty, and staff. This is a top-performing
school on State-required assessments, and its strong commitment to
professional development ensures that teachers, staff, and students are
life-long learners. This recognition adds to the town's record of
achievement in education--
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Yarmouth Elementary School was awarded a Blue Ribbon last year.
The mission of Yarmouth High School is to ``empower all students to
create fulfilling lives in a changing world.'' Yarmouth High School is
known for its extensive extra-curricular activities, which help forge a
strong school community where students are connected and encouraged to
pursue their interests. In addition to the arts and athletics, the
school provides strong STEM education and world language courses. A
comprehensive social studies curriculum includes a Public Policy
Project in which students conduct individual research on a contemporary
policy issue and present their recommendations to policy makers.
Yarmouth High School students are active in their community. The
student senate allows them to be involved in decisions regarding school
policies and programs. Students and parents join staff and
administrators to interview candidates for positions at the school.
Economics classes visit local businesses, environmental science classes
work on community recycling and environmental stewardship projects, and
world history coursework includes visiting local religious centers to
increase understanding of various cultures.
The school strives to address the varying needs of individual
students by bringing together students, teachers, administrators,
counselors, and parents to provide a support network to help ensure
that all students have the opportunity to succeed academically and
socially.
This Blue Ribbon Award is a tribute not only to the students but also
to the administrators, teachers, staff, and parents of Yarmouth High
School. Together, they are accomplishing their mission to help students
succeed in the classroom and as engaged citizens in their community and
the world. They are making a difference in the lives of their students,
helping them reach their full potential. I congratulate the entire
community for this well-deserved recognition.
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