October 1, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10315 

POCAHONTAS AREA COMMUNITY 

EDUCATION 

∑ Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, in Iowa 

and across the United States, a new 

school year has begun. As you know, 

Iowa public schools have an excellent 

reputation nationwide, and Iowa students’ test scores are among the highest in the Nation. 

I would like to take just a few minutes today to salute the dedicated 

teachers, administrators, and school 

board members in the Pocahontas Area 

Community School District, and to report on their participation in a unique 

Federal partnership to repair and modernize school facilities. 

This fall marks the 10th year of the 

Iowa Demonstration Construction 

Grant Program. That is its formal 

name, but it is better known among 

educators in Iowa as the program of 

Harkin grants for Iowa public schools. 

Since 1998, I have been fortunate to secure a total of $121 million for the 

State government in Iowa, which selects worthy school districts to receive 

these grants for a range of renovation 

and repair efforts everything from updating fire safety systems to building 

new schools or renovating existing facilities. The Federal grant has made it 

possible for the district to provide 

quality and safe schools for their students. 

The Pocahontas Area Community 

School District received several Harkin 

fire safety grants totaling $100,000 

which it used to make hardware, electrical, and safety upgrades in several of 

their facilities. The Federal grants 

have made it possible for the district to 

provide quality and safe schools for 

their students. 

Excellent schools do not just pop up 

like mushrooms after a rain. They are 

the product of vision, leadership, persistence, and a tremendous amount of 

collaboration among local officials and 

concerned citizens. I salute the entire 

staff, administration, and governance 

in the Pocahontas Area Community 

School District. In particular, I would 

like to recognize the leadership of the 

board of education, Raymond 

Seehusen, John Behrendsen, Daniel 

Duitscher, Greg Fritz, Richard Garner, 

Darwin Eaton, and Jeff Kerns, and 

former members Jann Ricklefs, Timothy Cook, Thomas Nedved, Jody 

Lyon, Roger Witt, William Thomas, 

Stephen Baade, and Diane Harrison. I 

would also like to recognize superintendent Joseph Kramer, former superintendents Michael Wright and Dennis Pierce, and board secretary Diane 

Pattee. 

As we mark the 10th anniversary of 

the Harkin school grant program in 

Iowa, I am obliged to point out that 

many thousands of school buildings 

and facilities across the United States 

are in dire need of renovation or replacement. In my State of Iowa alone, 

according to a recent study, some 79 

percent of public schools need to be upgraded or repaired. The harsh reality is 

that the average age of school buildings in the United States is nearly 50 

years. 

Too often, our children visit ultramodern shopping malls and gleaming 

sports arenas on weekends, but during 

the week go to school in rundown or 

antiquated facilities. This sends exactly the wrong message to our young 

people about our priorities. We have to 

do better. 

That is why I am deeply grateful to 

the professionals and parents in the 

Pocahontas Area Community School 

District. There is no question that a 

quality public education for every 

child is a top priority in that community. I salute them and wish them a 

very successful new school year.

f 

∑ 

RED OAK COMMUNITY EDUCATION 

∑ Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, in Iowa 

and across the United States, a new 

school year has begun. As you know, 

Iowa public schools have an excellent 

reputation nationwide, and Iowa students’ test scores are among the highest in the Nation. 

I would like to take just a few minutes today to salute the dedicated 

teachers, administrators, and school 

board members in the Red Oak Community School District, and to report 

on their participation in a unique Federal partnership to repair and modernize school facilities. 

This fall marks the 10th year of the 

Iowa Demonstration Construction 

Grant Program. That is its formal 

name, but it is better known among 

educators in Iowa as the program of 

Harkin grants for Iowa public schools. 

Since 1998, I have been fortunate to secure a total of $121 million for the 

State government in Iowa, which selects worthy school districts to receive 

these grants for a range of renovation 

and repair efforts—everything from updating fire safety systems to building 

new schools or renovating existing facilities. In many cases, this Federal 

funding is used to leverage public and/ 

or private local funding, so it often has 

a tremendous multiplier effect in a 

local school district. 

The Red Oak Community School District received a 1998 Harkin grant totaling $250,000 which it used to help 

build Inman Primary School. This 

school is a modern, state-of-the-art facility that befits the educational ambitions and excellence of this school district. Indeed, it is the kind of school facility that every child in America deserves. The district also received three 

fire safety grants totaling $197,822 to 

install fire doors, update emergency 

lighting and make other repairs at 

schools throughout the district. 

Excellent schools do not just pop up 

like mushrooms after a rain. They are 

the product of vision, leadership, persistence, and a tremendous amount of 

collaboration among local officials and 

concerned citizens. I salute the entire 

staff, administration, and governance 

in the Red Oak Community School District. In particular, I would like to recognize the leadership of the board of 

education president—Charla Schmid, 

vice president Lee Fellers, Amy 

Liddell, Rod DeVries, and Elizabeth 

Dilley, and former board members 

Roger Carlson, Bryant Amos, and Gale 

Haufle. I would also like to recognize 

superintendent Terry Schmidt, former 

superintendents Dick Drey and Kurt 

Kaiser, Inman principal Buck 

Laughlin, and former board secretary 

the late Sue Wagaman. 

As we mark the 10th anniversary of 

the Harkin school grant program in 

Iowa, I am obliged to point out that 

many thousands of school buildings 

and facilities across the United States 

are in dire need of renovation or replacement. In my State of Iowa alone, 

according to a recent study, some 79 

percent of public schools need to be upgraded or repaired. The harsh reality is 

that the average age of school buildings in the United States is nearly 50 

years. 

Too often, our children visit ultramodern shopping malls and gleaming 

sports arenas on weekends but during 

the week go to school in rundown or 

antiquated facilities. This sends exactly the wrong message to our young 

people about our priorities. We have to 

do better. 

That is why I am deeply grateful to 

the professionals and parents in the 

Red Oak Community School District. 

There is no question that a quality 

public education for every child is a 

top priority in that community. I salute them and wish them a very successful new school year.

f 

∑ 

SOUTH TAMA COMMUNITY 

EDUCATION 

∑ Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, in 

Iowa and across the United States, a 

new school year has begun. As you 

know, Iowa public schools have an excellent reputation nationwide, and 

Iowa students’ test scores are among 

the highest in the Nation. 

I would like to take just a few minutes today to salute the dedicated 

teachers, administrators, and schoolboard members in the South Tama 

Community School District, and to report on their participation in a unique 

Federal partnership to repair and modernize school facilities. 

This fall marks the 10th year of the 

Iowa Demonstration Construction 

Grant Program. That is its formal 

name, but it is better known among 

educators in Iowa as the program of 

Harkin grants for Iowa public schools. 

Since 1998, I have been fortunate to secure a total of $121 million for the 

State government in Iowa, which selects worthy school districts to receive 

these grants for a range of renovation 

and repair efforts—everything from updating fire safety systems to building 

new schools or renovating existing facilities. In many cases, this Federal 

funding is used to leverage public and/ 

or private local funding, so it often has 

a tremendous multiplier effect in a 

local school district. 


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