October 1, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10309 

participated in a summer internship 

program at the National Institutes of 

Health in Maryland. At an age when 

many children look to hangout at a 

local mall, Kelsey has already built a 

resume that mirrors those students 

who were born more than a decade before her. 

In addition to her academic activities, Kelsey is involved in community 

life. She is presently the youngest account holder at the Community Foundation of West Kentucky where she 

raises money for medical and research 

based charitable organizations. She is a 

regular at the local Salvation Army 

and makes time to volunteer at a local 

children’s hospital in Lexington, KY. 

After earning a bachelor’s degree in 

biology at the University of Kentucky 

next spring, Kelsey will begin her 

postbaccalaureate position at the National Institutes of Health and then 

hopes to attend medical school. Like 

most Kentuckians, I look forward to 

seeing all that she will accomplish as 

she works toward her goal of becoming 

a medical scientist.

f 

∑ 

CONGRATULATING WALKER 

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL 

∑ Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I 

would like to take this opportunity to 

congratulate Walker Intermediate 

School on being named a President’s 

Challenge State Champion by the 

President’s Council on Physical Fitness, PCPFS, for 2007–2008. Their accomplishment is an example for all 

schools across the Commonwealth and 

our Nation. 

Each year the PCPFS State Champion award is presented in all 50 states 

to 3 schools with the highest number of 

students scoring at or above the 85th 

percentile on the President’s Challenge 

Physical Fitness Test. The test measures four components of physical fitness: a 1-mile run-walk for heart and 

lung endurance; curl ups for abdominal 

strength and endurance; a ‘‘sit and 

reach’’ stretch for muscular flexibility; 

pullups for upper body strength and endurance; and a shuttle run for agility. 

The inclusion of Walker Intermediate 

School in this group is a credit to the 

dedication of its students, staff, and 

administration. 

Walker Intermediate School is a role 

model to other institutions through its 

dedication to helping students gain 

physical fitness skills and to understanding the health benefits of regular 

physical activity. In a time in which 

many young people are faced with 

weight related problems, Walker Intermediate has proven to be a leader by 

encouraging students and adults to engage in physical activity. 

Walker Intermediate School is an inspiration to the citizens of Kentucky 

and to student and community leaders 

everywhere. I look forward to seeing 

all they will accomplish in the future.∑ 

CONGRATULATING WEST KNOX 

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 

∑ Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I 

would like to take this opportunity to 

congratulate West Knox Elementary 

School on being named a President’s 

Challenge State Champion by the 

President’s Council on Physical Fitness, PCPFS, for 2007–2008. Their accomplishment is an example for all 

schools across the Commonwealth and 

our Nation. 

Each year the PCPFS State Champion award is presented in all 50 States 

to 3 schools with the highest number of 

students scoring at or above the 85th 

percentile on the President’s Challenge 

Physical Fitness Test. The test measures four components of physical fitness: a 1-mile run-walk for heart and 

lung endurance; curl ups for abdominal 

strength and endurance; a ‘‘sit and 

reach’’ stretch for muscular flexibility; 

pullups for upper body strength and endurance; and a shuttle run for agility. 

The inclusion of West Knox Elementary School in this group is a credit to 

the dedication of its students, staff, 

and administration. 

West Knox Elementary School is a 

role model to other institutions 

through its dedication to helping students gain physical fitness skills and to 

understanding the health benefits of 

regular physical activity. In a time in 

which many young people are faced 

with weight related problems, West 

Knox Elementary has proven to be a 

leader by encouraging students and 

adults to engage in physical activity. 

West Knox Elementary School is an 

inspiration to the citizens of Kentucky 

and to student and community leaders 

everywhere. I look forward to seeing 

all they will accomplish in the future.

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∑ 

BOISE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL 

TOWER 

∑ Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, as an Idahoan, I have many reasons to be proud 

of the accomplishments of fellow Idahoans, and today, I have yet another: 

in early September, the Federal Aviation Administration notified the Boise 

Air Traffic Control Tower—BOI 

ATCT—that it had been selected as National Facility of the Year for fiscal 

year 2007. In a category that included 

112 other facilities nationwide, the BOI 

ATCT scored higher than the others on 

safety metrics, employee focus, innovation and customer service. I congratulate Gordon Stewart, BOI ATCT manager and his staff for their teamwork, 

positive, winning attitudes and overall 

excellence. As Gordon noted recently, 

he and his team are ‘‘ever cognizant of 

the public trust bestowed upon our profession, and with that knowledge we 

constantly strive to move the bar of 

excellence higher. . . . The greatest 

tool at our disposal is communication.’’ This award comes on the heels of 

a regional award that the BOI ATCT 

team won for fiscal year 2006. 

I wish BOI ATCT continued success 

in its service and its highly effective 

partnerships with the Boise Airport, 

Idaho Air and Army National Guard, 

National Interagency Fire Center, passenger and cargo airlines and corporate 

and general aviation. It is good to 

know that an airport that I frequently 

use abides by such high standards of 

safety and service.

f 

∑ 

ATLANTIC 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 Atlantic 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 Atlantic Community School District received two Harkin fire safety 

grants totaling $180,960 which it used 

for improvements to the fire safety 

systems at the elementary and middle 

schools and to address deficiencies on 

the fire safety report. 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 Superintendent Wendy Prigge, former Superintendent Mark Schweer, the entire 

staff, administration, and governance 

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

education—President Phil Hascall, 

Vice President Jody Lorence, Kristy 

Pellett, Dennis Davis, Jon Martens, 

and former members Jan Myers, Steve 

Jacobs, and Glen Smith. In addition, 

district staff Barb Nelson, now deceased, Denise Bridges, Jan Kerns, and 

Jerry Jensen should also be recognized 

for their work on the grant application 

and implementation. 


smartinez on PROD1PC64 with SENATE