For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 25, 2001
Remarks by the President
At Presidential Scholars Ceremony Constitution Hall
Washington,
D.C.
3:33 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very
much. Okay, sit
down. (Laughter.) Except for you
all. (Laughter.) Mr. Secretary, thank
you. The good folks from Houston know what I'm about to tell
you is true. First of all, behave yourself.
(Laughter.) And secondly, I picked a true leader to run the
Department of Education when I picked Rod Paige. He did a
great job as the superintendent in
Houston. (Applause.) He's a no-nonsense kind of
guy, you know. And he's getting a lot done. And
I'm honored to have you here.
And, Bruno, thank you very much. As
the Chairman, I appreciate your leadership. And I want to
thank all the members on the Commission. Thank you for
taking time out of your private lives to herald the best of
America. I want to thank the members of the United States
Congress who are here. I understand John Hostettler is here
from Indiana; and George Nethercutt from Washington; and Bernie Sanders
from the state of Vermont. I think they're
here. Thank you all for coming.
It's an honor for me to be here to honor some
of America's finest students. You all should be proud of this award,
and you should know your country is proud of
you. Congratulations. (Applause.)
Out of an applicant pool of over 2,700
exceptional students, 141 were chosen. While your excellence
ranges from science to the arts, all of you share some common traits of
character -- hard work, commitment, leadership, faith in yourself, and
service to others. You represent the best of your
generation, and I'm confident you'll do great things for our great
nation.
You've earned your place here today, but you
did not do it alone. First, we want to thank the parents and
family members who worked side by side with you. I want to
thank you for your commitment to your kids and to their
excellence. (Applause.)
And I want to thank the teachers who join us
here today. A good teacher is a model and a mentor, a source
of praise and a source of challenge. A good teacher can
change a life. A generation of good teachers can change a
nation. Our nation deeply respects your important work. And
thank you for being here. (Applause.)
You all have come to Washington in an historic
time: The Congress is about to pass the most important
education reform in nearly 40 years. Every school, with
students of every income, will be expected to meet high standards of
learning and literacy. Every school will get the flexibility
and help it needs to meet those standards. And every student
will be tested to make sure those standards are actually achieved.
The longer it takes Congress to pass these
important reforms, the less time state policymakers, school boards,
principals and teachers will have to act on them. I urge the
Congress to act now, before it is too late. (Applause.)
Thirty-seven years ago, when President Johnson
honored the first Presidential Scholars, Congress was debating the
historic Civil Rights Act of 1964. Now, as you receive your
awards, Congress is debating the next frontier of civil rights -- solid
education. Because I believe the better we educate all our
children the more united our society will be, the more equal we'll
become in hope and opportunity and in achievement.
Excellence in education is a matter of
standards and talent, and it is also a matter of
character. We all need high ambitions. But it is
strong values that give dignity and direction to our
lives. And here, as in other areas, the young folks in this
room excel.
Marco Ramirez of Florida -- say hello to the
Governor for me -- (laughter) -- is being honored for his talents as a
playwright. Yet Marco also found a way to translate his love
of theater into service. He gave a Halloween party for 200
children in a crime-ridden neighborhood, allowing them to enjoy the
holiday in the safety of a school.
Or another honoree, Dean Spears of Oklahoma,
shared his love of learning with residents of a local nursing home, out
of concern that they did not have enough ways to exercise their
minds. After securing a space at the nursing home for a
library, Dean advertised his project to the community. The
library now has over 1,600 books, each labeled and catalogued by Dean,
himself.
Our society needs your
contributions. During my lifetime I've seen the culture
change from one that emphasized the difference between right and wrong
to one that says, if it feels good, do it; and if you have a problem,
blame somebody else. But I believe cultures can change, and
it changes as a result of leadership. And the young folks on
this stage today are leaders, by, first and foremost, taking
responsibility of their own lives, and listening to that universal call
to love a neighbor just like they'd like to be loved themselves.
Sometimes it's said that this generation is
self-absorbed and apathetic. Your achievements and good works and
generous spirit, especially at such a young age, make your friends and
family proud. I want to thank you for your contribution you
make to our nation today, and urge you on, because the contributions
you'll make tomorrow will be just as important.
Welcome to
Washington. Congratulations, and God
bless. (Applause.)
END 3:41
P.M. EDT
|