[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 19]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 27528-27529]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



HONORING JOAN AND RAY CONN ON THE OCCASION OF THE TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY 
                 OF CINCINNATI HILLS CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ROB PORTMAN

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 28, 1999

  Mr. PORTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituents, Joan 
and Ray Conn, who will be recognized at a gala dinner and pageant on 
Saturday, October 30, 1999 for their leadership as one of the founding 
families of the prestigious Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (CHCA) 
located in Mason, Ohio.
  CHCA is one of the fastest-growing schools in the country and has 
earned a reputation for excellent academics, competitive sports and 
extracurricular activities. In 1997, I had the privilege of presenting 
the U.S. Department of Education's Blue Ribbon School Award to CHCA 
Elementary. CHCA's goal is to nurture and support each student toward 
individual growth. The school embraces students, parents and faculty 
within the care of a Christian community.
  Joan and Ray Conn worked together on many important initiatives for 
CHCA, including helping to form the vision for the school and 
spearheading fund raising efforts. They have three children, all of 
whom have attended CHCA.

[[Page 27529]]

  Ray was a member of the founding Board of Trustees and provided 
strong leadership in the school's early years by drafting CHCA's 
constitution, serving as chair for the first Education Committee and 
working on the Advancement Committee.
  Joan chaired the school's first silent auction, was enrollment chair 
for the Advancement Committee and served as a consultant on interior 
design decisions for all three CHCA buildings. Before the school 
opened, Joan came up with the idea to hold home parties to spread the 
word about CHCA and helped to interview prospective faculty. She has 
been very involved with the tennis program and the Joan Davis Conn 
Tennis Complex was dedicated last Spring.
  Joan and Ray Conn are to be commended for their tireless devotion to 
the community as a whole and for the important role they played in 
making the dream of Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy a reality.

                          ____________________