[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17158]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




ON THE OCCASION OF THE FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PAYNE-PULLIAM SCHOOL 
               OF TRADE AND COMMERCE IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. GARY C. PETERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 14, 2013

  Mr. PETERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 
staff, students and alumni of the Payne-Pulliam School of Trade and 
Commerce in Detroit as they gather to celebrate its Fortieth 
Anniversary of service to the community.
  In 1973, Reverend Betty E. Pulliam and Ms. Freddie M. Lindsey-Payne 
recognized a growing need in their community--an educational 
institution whose focus was to provide its students with employment-
ready knowledge and skills. In response to this need, Reverend Pulliam 
and Ms. Lindsey-Payne founded the Payne-Pulliam School which offered a 
business education in a small class with an individualized learning 
environment.
  As the educational needs of the Greater Detroit community have 
changed over the last four decades, the Payne-Pulliam School has 
adapted to meet that demand. Today Payne-Pulliam offers its students 
assistance with GED preparation, job readiness education and personal 
development classes. The focus of its dedicated education professionals 
is to aid their students in their journey to rebuild themselves and 
their skills. As part of this commitment, Payne-Pulliam provides its 
students with extensive support in job placement, counseling and 
training. In 1997, the leadership of the Payne-Pulliam school furthered 
this commitment by partnering with Michigan Works and the City of 
Detroit Employment and Training Department.
  Each year, as part of its community outreach initiatives, the Payne-
Pulliam School hosts its annual Door Opener's Awards event, where 
students, alumni, educators and community stakeholders come together to 
recognize individuals who have assisted the School in its mission to 
provide important education and skills development to the residents of 
the Greater Detroit region. It is fitting that in this milestone year 
for the Payne-Pulliam School its founders will be recognized as Door 
Openers--for their decades of dedication as professional educators and 
leaders in the endeavor to make education available to all the 
residents of Southeast Michigan. For both Reverend Pulliam and Ms. 
Lindsay-Payne, their commitment to education extends far beyond their 
work at their school as they have been leaders in many other community 
organizations that are working to increase the accessibility to 
education in the Greater Detroit region.
  Mr. Speaker, access to a quality education is a central component in 
the continuing success of the Greater Detroit region and other 
communities across our nation. I congratulate Reverend Pulliam and Ms. 
Lindsay-Payne on this great milestone in the history of the Payne-
Pulliam School of Trade and Commerce and I congratulate its staff, 
students and alumni on their continuing efforts to ensure that the 
future of Michigan remains bright.

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