Altmire Delivers $200,000 to Farrell Area School District to Improve Library for Students, Community

August 18, 2010

(FARRELL, PA) -- Today, U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire (PA-04) presented the Farrell Area School District (FASD) with $200,000 he secured as part of the Fiscal Year 2010 federal appropriations process to improve its high school library. As a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, Congressman Altmire has made improving western Pennsylvania’s schools one of his top priorities.

“When I visited this library last year, I saw firsthand that there was a great need for new books and technology,” Congressman Altmire said. “With this funding, FASD will be able to buy books and computers that can help students develop the skills they need to succeed in school and in the workforce. By making it possible for the library to extend its hours, this funding will also help to ensure that the entire Farrell community can benefit from these improved resources.”

The Farrell High School Library is currently undergoing renovations and is expected to re-open in October. With the funding that Congressman Altmire secured, the library will be able to dramatically improve its literacy curriculum by buying a dozen new computers and new books, implementing a purchase management system to keep track of the library’s collection, and hiring a library aide. To help the greater Farrell community, the Farrell Area High School also hopes to implement a service-learning program through which students will provide free computer training to the public.

“This library improvement project is part of our ongoing efforts to create community schools that will offer children and families fully-integrated support,” Farrell Area School District Superintendent Lora Adams-King said. “In the future, we hope that this library will be a place where children can learn to read, where adults can improve their computer skills, and where the entire community can enjoy arts and cultural programming. I want to thank Congressman Altmire for providing us with the support we need to better meet our students’ needs and benefit our larger community.”