Veteran Congressman visits the Young Women's Leadership School of East Harlem

NEW YORK - Congressman Charles Rangel praised the Young Women's Leadership School of East Harlem as a model of success for public schools during his visit to the school on March 17.

"This school is a prime example of the potential of public education," Rangel said after a visit this week to the school. "With people like Principal Dr. Althea Bradshaw-Tyson and Young Women's Leadership Network Executive Director Anne Adler, we have the right mix of bold leadership and outside resources to ensure that these bright ladies realize their full potential."

YWLS is the flagship school of Young Women's Leadership Network. The school, founded in 1996, has an annual graduation rate between 94-100 percent, with seniors going on to a wide range of universities and colleges, including the Ivy League.

"The standard of excellence demonstrated by the Young Women's Leadership School should serve as an example of the impact effective public education can have on the lives of young people in helping to secure their dreams and ambitions," said Rangel.

Rangel toured the school, visiting classes and meeting with administrators to see how lessons learned there can be applied to the rest of New York the public school system. In a Q & A with the 10th grade class, who proceeded ask the veteran Congressman about his proudest legislative accomplishments, his inspiration and his hopes for the future.

However, it was their hard work that the Congressman was principally focused on.

"As we work to win the future, education will be the most important tool we can harness in achieving those goals," said Rangel. "With bright young minds like the students from the Young Women's Leadership School, I am confident that America will be able to regain its fiscal footing and lead the global community into the 21st century as a beacon for innovation, education, and prosperity."