Students at Alden-Conger school received praise and thanks from a visitor Monday morning.

Tuesday, January 22, 2002

Students at Alden-Conger school received praise and thanks from a visitor Monday morning. U.S. Rep. Gil Gutknecht, R-Minn., spoke at an assembly for students in kindergarten through grade six in the school’s gym.

Elementary students donated $145 last October for President Bush’s Afghan Children’s Relief Fund. Gutknecht thanked them for their donation and provided information on how donations like theirs will help make a difference for Afghanistan’s children. According to Gutknecht, over one-third of the children born in Afghanistan today die before they reach the age of five. Of those who survive, 40 percent are orphans, Gutknecht said.

During the assembly, Gutknecht also spoke to students about the importance of honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.

&uot;Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a very important part of helping us understand we need to treat people not based on skin color, but on the content of their characters,&uot; Gutknecht said.

Gutknecht took time to talk about his life in Washington and answer a few questions from students. Students asked about where he lived, about the White House and what the terrorist attacks had done to our country. Gutknecht reassured students that they were safe and he praised the rescue workers in New York who helped save the lives of thousands of people.

After speaking to the assembly, Gutknecht visited with 11th and 12th grade students in Paul Ragatz’s American Government class. He spoke to students about the mechanics of voting, with his gold, computer-chip carrying voting card, and encouraged them to listen to the President’s state of the Union speech.

Quoting a German proverb: Alles was mich nicht totes macht, macht mir staerker – Everything that doesn’t kill me, makes me stronger – he pointed out that the events of Sept. 11 changed our lives, but not just for the worse.

&uot;Every nation meets challenges, we met ours. And we are winning, though this is going to take a lot longer,&uot; he said.

Gutknecht also offered advice to the students about pursuing the vocations that they are most passionate about, whether it’s working on cars or teaching high school.

&uot;One of the most important things I can tell you is ‘Do what you want to do’,&uot; he said. He also stressed the importance of investing time in reading. He links good leadership with the ability to read widely and deeply.