[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 132 (Tuesday, August 20, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E831-E832]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF HARRISON SCHOOL DISTRICT 2, OF 
                            COLORADO SPRINGS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DOUG LAMBORN

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 20, 2024

  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 150th 
Anniversary of Harrison School District 2 in El Paso County, Colorado. 
Established two years before Colorado became a state, Harrison School 
District 2 has faithfully served our community, our families, and our 
youth. Its mission is to equip students with the knowledge, skills, 
attitudes, and behaviors to personally succeed and contribute to the 
common good.

[[Page E832]]

  Harrison School District 2 was founded by four homesteading 
families--Bates, Lewis, Allen, and Beaver--to educate their children. 
The early investment from these families laid the groundwork for a 
district that now serves over 13,000 students across 23 schools. This 
past year, the superintendent of Harrison School District 2, Dr. Wendy 
Birhanzel, was named Colorado Superintendent of the Year by the 
Colorado Association of School Executives for the district's high 
achievement and innovative approaches to education.
  As the first district in Colorado to put student representatives on 
the Board of Education, Harrison D2 prioritizes students and their 
families. An open enrollment policy allows youth to enroll in any of 
D2's nine elementary schools, four K-8 schools, one K-12 online school, 
two middle schools, two high schools, one career readiness academy, 
International Baccalaureate program, home school program, or three 
charter school systems. The district's culturally and linguistically 
diverse education has received local and national awards, and an 
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program is available 
from elementary to high school.
  Harrison School District 2 believes that socioeconomic status should 
not be a barrier to educational opportunity, and this commitment 
extends beyond K-12. Through the D2 promise, graduates from any high 
school in the district can receive a free two-year college education at 
Pikes Peak State College, inclusive of tuition, fees, books, and 
academic support. Harrison School District 2 also serves community 
members by offering free adult Basic Education, a General Educational 
Development (GED) class, and English as Second Language classes. 
Harrison D2's career-connected learning approach is reimagining 
education to produce the skilled workforce that the Pikes Peak region 
needs.
  Education is one of the most important pillars of our society today 
and Harrison School District 2 stands out as an exemplary partner in 
providing a high level of education to the El Paso County community. 
Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues in Congress join me in 
celebrating Harrison School District 2 for its service to our community 
for 150 years and into the future.

                          ____________________