[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8651]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



       LUZERNE COUNTY HEAD START CELEBRATES ITS 35TH ANNIVERSARY

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                         HON. PAUL E. KANJORSKI

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 18, 2000

  Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to Luzerne County 
Head Start, Inc., on the occasion of its 35th anniversary, which will 
be celebrated May 22.
  Luzerne County Head Start opened in 1965 and was one of the first 
such programs in the nation.
  The program has grown from initially serving 90 children in one 
community, Wilkes-Barre, to serving a total of 692 children today at 11 
locations in Luzerne and Wyoming counties.
  Mr. Speaker, Luzerne County Head Start's accomplishments are truly 
impressive. Over the past 35 years, the program has prepared more than 
12,000 children to enter kindergarten excited about learning and ready 
to succeed in school.
  Further, four of Luzerne County Head Start's classrooms were 
accredited in 1999 by the National Association for the Education of 
Young Children, and other classrooms are being reviewed.
  To put that in perspective, only 7 percent of early childhood 
programs nationwide have received this accreditation.
  Head Start provides a high quality education program to children and 
their families. In addition, the program ensures that children receive 
nutrition and social services and needed medical services, including 
immunizations, health check-ups and preventive screenings.
  Mr. Speaker, studies have shown that one-third more at-risk children 
who attended a quality early childhood program such as Head Start 
graduated from high school compared to those who did not attend.
  Studies also show that at-risk children who have been enrolled in 
Head Start or other quality early childhood programs are 25 percent 
less likely to repeat a grade.
  Since the current cost of public education averages $5,200 per 
student, per year nationally, programs like Luzerne County Head Start 
save taxpayers a significant amount of money in the long run.
  Head Start is a proven program that helps to give children a strong 
beginning in life. I am proud to support it and proud of the good work 
of the Head Start centers throughout my district.
  Under the Clinton-Gore Administration, funding for Head Start has 
doubled and I strongly support President Clinton's goal of increasing 
the number of children served nationally by Head Start from 793,807 in 
1997 to 1 million in 2002.
  Lynn Evans Biga is the very capable director of Luzerne County Head 
Start. She is aided by the board, including the executive committee of 
President John Hogan, Vice President Carl Goeringer Jr., Secretary 
Joanne Coolbaugh and Treasurer Gene Caprio, all of whom volunteer their 
time for this fine program, as does every member of the board.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to honor Luzerne County Head Start on the 
occasion of its 35th anniversary, and I send my best wishes for 
continued success to the employees and the many children and families 
whom they serve so well.

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