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September 29, 2010 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1851 RECOGNIZING REVEREND DOCTOR race by focusing on the issues of white su- Improving test scores early on is crucial to SAM E. MANN ON HIS RETIRE- premacy and white privilege. Through training, getting kids on the right path to a solid edu- MENT FROM THE SAINT MARK he seeks to inspire ministries to address rac- cation and key to securing critical resources UNION CHURCH AND UNITED ism in their congregations. that will help our schools turn around. His most recent project was the building of INNER CITY SERVICES I want to particularly honor Highland prin- the $4 million child care center, the St. Mark cipal Susan Ippongi and Inglewood Unified Child & Family Development Center, located HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER School District superintendent Gary McHenry at 2008 E. 12th Street in Kansas City, Mis- OF MISSOURI for their leadership and their dedication to souri. St. Mark’s is a state of the art child care IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES schoolchildren in Inglewood. facility that annually serves approximately 225 Wednesday, September 29, 2010 low-income families through its early childhood I am looking forward to meeting them in No- Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise education program, before- and after-school vember when representatives from the Blue today in recognition of the achievements of program, and summer camp. Nearly 100 per- Ribbon schools come to Washington to be for- Rev. Doctor Samuel E. Mann, an individual cent of the children are African American, with mally recognized for their achievements. who has dedicated his life to helping the un- many living in single parent households in one I am very proud of Highland’s ability to excel derserved in the Fifth Congressional District of of Kansas City, Missouri’s poorest neighbor- over adversity, and particularly proud of the Missouri, the District that I am honored to rep- hoods. young boys and girls who are studying hard resent. This weekend, Reverend Mann is retir- Rev. Mann is presently a leader working in for a bright future. They are giving Highland ing, after 40 years as Pastor Administrator of concert with other agencies in making Kansas Elementary School, our community, our city St. Mark Union Church and executive director City a Zone Seven site to provide additional and our country a good name. of United Inner City Services. In that capacity, services in the urban core for the education of he oversaw a budget of $1.5 million annually, children. I am proud of the federal funding I f a sixty-two member staff and programs that in- helped secure for St. Mark. cluded: child and family development, social Madam Speaker, it is an honor and privilege HONORING ZOILA A. QUIN˜ ONES services, and community development and for me to recognize my friend, and colleague, street organizations and violence prevention. the Reverend Doctor Sam Mann for his efforts He is a native of Eufaula, Alabama and a to improve the education and quality of life in HON. MARIO DIAZ-BALART graduate of Birmingham Southern College, the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. It is with BA; Duke Divinity School, M. Div., and St. great pride that we honor Reverend Doctor OF FLORIDA Paul School of Theology, D. Min. He is mar- Mann today for his commitment to the resi- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ried to Dr. Beverlye J. Brown, and is the father dents of Missouri. On behalf of the people of of three children and grandfather of seven. Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, I wish Wednesday, September 29, 2010 Remarkably, Rev. Mann was a local preach- this thunderous preacher and fearless prophet Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. er at the age of 15 years old at the First Meth- a well-deserved retirement. Madam Speaker, as we celebrate Hispanic odist Church of Eufaula, Alabama; he was f Heritage Month, I rise to honor one of south later the Associate Pastor of St. John United HONORING HIGHLAND ELEMEN- Florida’s finest community leaders, Zoila A. Methodist Church of Kansas City, Missouri, TARY SCHOOL IN INGLEWOOD, Quin˜ones. and sometime later, the Pastor of the First CA Methodist Church of Peculiar, MO, and Direc- Zoila was born in the city of Cabana, Peru tor of the Young Adult Projects, Inc. Rev. and completed her studies at the prestigious Mann was dismissed from both churches be- HON. MAXINE WATERS Colegio Nacional Mercedes Cabello in Lima, cause of his views on race and peace. OF CALIFORNIA Peru and graduated as a Commercial Ac- As a long-time civil rights activist, Rev. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES countant. She then went on to work at one of Mann marched in numerous demonstrations, Wednesday, September 29, 2010 Peru’s finest engineering and architecture including the march for the garbage workers in Ms. WATERS. Madam Speaker, I rise to firms, Gran˜a y Montero, S.A., for 26 years. Memphis, Tennessee, the march against the honor Highland Elementary School in In 1986, Zoila came to the United States war in Vietnam, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Inglewood, California, located in my district. from her native Peru to join her mother and Jr., and was part of the U.S. delegation that Highland was recently named a Blue Ribbon brother in Miami, Florida. She started a career visited with South Africa ANC leader Dr. Nel- School by the Department of Education, a in the cargo industry and eventually founded son Mandela shortly after his release from coveted award recognizing high-performing her own company, Cabana International Cor- prison. Dr. Mann has also been jailed on sev- and improving schools across our country. poration. She also began her activism within eral occasions for his participation in these ac- This year, Highland shares this distinction with the Peruvian American community of south tivities. He served as a key participant in the 304 other schools among the thousands of Florida and is today one of its most influential national effort to respond to the burning of schools in the United States. leaders. She is involved with various civic and black churches in America. He has traveled to Highland and its teachers, administrators, business groups including the Peruvian Amer- Nicaragua and China for various humanitarian staff, students, parents and community mem- ican Coalition, the Chamber of Commerce of efforts. bers have really been on a roll. In addition to Florida, the Ancashina Association and the Rev. Mann was instrumental in the forma- the Blue Ribbon award, the school was also Peruvian Civic Unity. tion of Operation Break and Build, a street named a California Distinguished School, and outreach organization that evolved out of the For nearly 23 years, Zoila has also taken an Highland is a two-time Title One Academic active role in the democratic process by edu- Urban Peace and Justice Summit in 1994. Its Achievement School and California Business purpose was to assist street organizations, cating policymakers at all levels of government School of Excellence. about issues important in the Peruvian Amer- gangs, with transforming their lives via crisis I am very appreciative of the efforts by this ican community, working to ensure that the intervention, education, economic develop- Congress and this Administration to focus on United States and Peru strengthen diplomatic ment, addressing women’s issues, and crimi- education and the future of our young stu- ties, and helping shape legislation and policy nal justice. dents. We must remain committed to improv- towards Latin America. She has also been in- He has been the recipient of many awards, ing schools and providing opportunity for all strumental in fighting for small businesses, ad- including the NAACP Harold Holiday Award; Americans to learn. the John M. Swomley Human Rights Award, In my district, like many communities in vancing economic growth in the United States the Elder Statesmen of Kansas City award, urban America, test scores are below average, and working towards free trade with Peru. the MO Jazz award, the Sam Eason Award buildings are in disrepair, and graduation rates Zoila has earned the respect and trust of presented by Niles Home; the Black Archives are too low. many in our community, dedicating herself to of Mid-America award; the Beta Omega PSI I was so encouraged to hear about High- advancing the needs of the Hispanic commu- PHI Fraternity Inc.’s Citizen of the Year land’s honor because one of the two ways to nity in the United States. I ask that you join Award; and many, many more. He is co- qualify for the Blue Ribbon award is by having me in honoring and thanking my good friend founder of the project ‘‘Reframing the Dialogue schools with at least 40 percent of their stu- Zoila A. Quin˜ones, a true leader who loves on Race in America.’’ Through this national dents from disadvantaged backgrounds im- and values freedom and works so that others project, he attempts to address the problem of prove student performance to high levels. may enjoy it. VerDate Mar 15 2010 05:59 Oct 01, 2010 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00059 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A29SE8.207 E29SEPT2 tjames on DSKG8SOYB1PROD with REMARKS E1852 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks September 29, 2010 THANKING TAEKWONDO GRAND Fame in 2007 as both the ‘‘Pioneer of Amer- More than 700 people gathered to pay trib- MASTER JHOON RHEE FOR HIS 45 ican Taekwondo’’ and the ‘‘Pioneer of ute to Gene at the California Baptist University YEARS OF SERVICE TO MEM- Taekwon-Do in Russia.’’ He currently has over quad, just behind the center that bears his BERS OF CONGRESS 60 affiliated Tae Kwon Do studios in the U.S.