Walorski visits Winamac Community HS during 'Hoosier Education Tour'

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Published: Thursday, 03 September 2015 16:55

Visited 10 schools across the Second Congressional District

MISHAWALA - After three days of touring schools across the Second Congressional District, Congresswoman Jackie Walorski (IN-02) ended her ‘Walorski Education Tour’ in St. Joseph County at Penn High School Wednesday (Sept. 2).

The tour also included a stop at Winamac Community High School.

During her districtwide tour, Walorski saw workforce training programs that prepare students with real-world skills necessary to obtain a job, visited with students, and toured schools with outstanding programs in various subject areas – all to learn more about what northern Indiana is doing to ensure Hoosier children can compete in a globally competitive economy.

“I cannot stress enough how important a quality education is to future generations,” Walorski said. “That’s why I wanted to take an opportunity to go into schools and see what they’re doing to prepare out next generation of leaders for careers in a competitive workforce. After traveling the district to visit with students and teachers, I’m so impressed with the critical thinking and problem solving skills students are learning at every level, it’s truly remarkable. If we’re looking to these students to be the future workforce, I’m confident they are learning the skills now that will be integral to their success later in life.”

During the last two days of the tour, Walorski visited:

·         Plymouth High School –Walorski, along with students and educators, surprised Principal James Condon with a Congressional Record honoring him for winning the State of Indiana Principal of the Year by the Indiana Association of School Principals during an all-school assembly in the school gymnasium.

·         Roosevelt Elementary – Walorski  sat in a fourth grade orchestra class and also visited with students participating in the school’s ROTC program.

·         Claypool Elementary – Walorski met with students on a mobile STEM lab, thanks to WILL, the Warsaw Inquiry Learning Laboratory, and watched students perform a science experiment in an effort to equip students with the use of technology and science-based skills.

·         Manchester High School – Walorski met with faculty and learned about the Farm2School program, a national initiative dedicated to getting locally sourced food into school cafeterias. She also met with a senior Environmental Science class and spoke about her work on the House Committee on Agriculture.

·         North Miami High School – During a school wide assembly, Walorski presented the North Miami FFA students with a Congressional Record for their efforts to raise money for fellow student, Evan Exmeyer, who suffers from cerebral palsy, to build a custom vehicle to access every part of his family farm.

·         Maconaquah Middle School  - Walorski learned more about the school’s advanced use of technology for teaching and learning after receiving a STEM Grant of $440,000 to improve their STEM program.

·         Penn Harris High School – Walorski toured the school’s health and human services academy that prepares students for careers in those fields.

On Monday, she visited:

·         Pulaski County - Walorski visited Winamac Community High School to learn about the school’s credit recovery program. Winamac Junior Senior High School officials are improving their academic program through their credit recovery program,  where students can work in a lab for 1-2 periods and retake classes in English and Biology.

·         Starke County - Walorski visited North Judson-San Pierre High School to highlight the school’s A+ Recovery Program.

·         LaPorte County - Walorski visited Rolling Prairie Elementary School to read to first graders and promote the Library of Congress Surplus Books Program.

Note - Due to fog delays, stops in Fulton and Marshall were cancelled and will be rescheduled for a later date.

Walorski represents the 2nd Congressional District in Indiana, where she serves as a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, House Armed Services Committee and House Committee on Agriculture.