[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 18]
[Senate]
[Pages 24521-24522]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      PERSEVERANCE IN TOUGH TIMES

  Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise during this Christmas season to 
share with the Senate and the Nation an inspirational story from my 
home State of Montana. As a former public school teacher myself, I have 
known for a long time how amazing Montana's young people can be. This 
story is a story of triumph over tragedy that serves as the latest 
reminder.
  Early on the morning of September 18, Montanans in and around 
Yellowstone County woke up to learn the tragic news that the Huntley 
Project school in Worden, MT, was on fire--an act of arson. Despite the 
valiant efforts by crews from the Worden, Shepherd, Lockwood, and 
Billings fire departments, the school burned to the ground.
  Although sad and angry about the fire, teachers, parents, students, 
and the whole community rallied to support the student body. As the 
Billings Gazette reported at the time:

       Huntley Project High was still burning when people in the 
     tight-knit community vowed that the loss wouldn't affect 
     their spirits.

  Montana's Superintendent of Schools, Linda McCulloch, put out a

[[Page 24522]]

request statewide for schools and businesses to donate school supplies 
and books and backpacks and computers. Montana's business community and 
citizens opened their hearts and their wallets, even in this tough 
economic time, to help these students.
  Billings School Superintendent Jack Copps arranged for classes to 
continue in the Billings school district at Skyview High School and at 
other facilities to help them get through the first days after the 
fire. Later, temporary trailers were brought to the Huntley campus to 
help during the rebuilding process. The 230 Huntley High School 
students soldiered on in the spirit of their homecoming theme--that 
being warriors. They simply refused to give up. I met with 
Superintendent Dave Mahon last month and toured the burned campus.
  The Huntley Project Red Devils have long been a power in Class B 
football. After the fire, the whole community rallied to cheer the team 
that symbolized Huntley's toughness in the face of an unbelievable 
challenge. The principal said it well: ``We're red and black and we're 
back,'' as Huntley beat the Townsend Bulldogs in their first game after 
the fire. There would be many more victories as the team finished a 
perfect season with a record of 12-0. Last month, Huntley beat the 
powerful team from Fairfield 41 to 28 to win the Class B State 
championship in football as players from both teams played their guts 
out and left it all out on the field. It was the first State 
championship for the project since 1998.
  I wish to congratulate head coach Jay Santy, as well as assistant 
coaches Rick Dees, Mark Wandle, and Lenny Brown, all of the players and 
their parents, their teachers and friends and supporters throughout the 
Huntley community.
  America faces some tough challenges today. Last month, more than a 
half a million American workers lost their jobs. Many parts of the 
country are suffering from the foreclosure crisis in the housing market 
and the domestic automobile industry teeters on the brink of collapse. 
As we work here to tackle those tough challenges, I suggest we follow 
the example of perseverance of these tough young Montanans. I suggest 
we lace up our cleats, strap on our helmets, and go out and get the job 
done.
  As we approach the Christmas season, I urge the Senate to look at 
Huntley Project school and the greater community and look to the future 
with hope and grit.
  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, today I rise in tribute to the spirit of 
recovery for the Huntley Project High School which was destroyed in an 
early morning fire on Thursday, September 18. The bottomless community 
spirit and immediate outpouring of support from around Montana has 
enabled this school, its faculty and staff, 230 students, their parents 
and supporters to put their energies and efforts into opening its 
doors. Through the extraordinary leadership of school superintendent 
Dave Mahon and principal Tynie Mader, students gathered in the junior 
high auditorium at 8:15 a.m. on Monday, September 22, to receive school 
supplies and restart the school year in the wake of the fire. Classes 
are being held in trailers located on the practice field west of the 
burned high school.
  The weekend following the fire, families and members of the community 
came together to clean up temporary classrooms for use, donate funds to 
replenish music and sports equipment, books and computers lost in the 
fire. Donations have come in from communities across Montana  the Malta 
School District sent $500 to help, having experienced a devastating 
fire in 1995. The school has received bandstands from Absarokee 
schools, cleats from a major sports corporation, backpacks from 
Billings elementary schools, donations from the local banks and area 
businesses and offers from as far away as North Carolina.
  The students have taken it upon themselves to shoulder part of the 
burden. They have applied to the television show ``Extreme Makeover'' 
to get their school rebuilt. They have been an integral part of 
sorting, carrying and cleaning school equipment. And their academic and 
extracurricular activities are getting an extra dose of school spirit 
these days.
  The school and community rallied around the athletic teams at Huntley 
Project following the devastating fire. This burst of school spirit 
helped propel the Huntley Project Red Devils to the Montana Class B 
State championship in football on November 22. Huntley Project defeated 
Fairfield High 41-28. The victory in the State title game on the Red 
Devils home field capped off a perfect season for coach Jay Santy and 
his players. A sign on the fence encircling the field said ``Devils 
risen up with the flames.'' Indeed this statement is true of all in the 
Huntley Project community. The Red Devils girls volleyball team also 
rose to the occasion to excel this season. After being displaced from 
their gym due to the fire, the team was forced to practice and play all 
their games away from home. Despite this added challenge the squad led 
by coach Iona Stookey placed third at the State class B volleyball 
tournament. I would like to congratulate these fine student athletes, 
their coaches and teachers, and all in the Huntley Project community 
not only for their achievements on the playing field but also for 
coming together to support each other and working to rebuild the 
school.
  Much has been done. More will need to be done. But we are Montanans, 
and we have that frontier spirit and grit that pulls a community 
together without question and without hesitation in times of need. In 
the meantime, we are all pulling for the Huntley Project Red Devils 
until their school is rebuilt.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a 
quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak in 
morning business and to use as much time as I may consume.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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