Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           985-549-2341/fax 985-549-2061
    Date: 04/11/02
      Contact:                           Angey Saucier   24           

Editors: Photo accompanies release
HENRY "TANK" POWELL SPEAKS AT SECOND SLU "BUSINESS BREAKFAST" 
     HAMMOND -- State Representative Henry "Tank" Powell of Ponchatoula spoke to a
full house on the impact of education on the state's economy April 9 at the Southeastern
Louisiana University College of Business and Technology's  "Business Breakfast" at Twelve
Oaks.  
     Powell, who has been representing District 73 since 1995 and is a 1968 Southeastern
graduate, praised Louisiana's efforts in bettering education, but reminded the crowd the journey
was far from complete.
     "Are we doing enough for education now? No," said Powell, "Are we working to do
more? Yes."
     Powell went on to stress accountability in schools, mentioning those schools that continue
to score "sub-par" will be shut-down for the welfare of children. Powell also stated the missions
for education in the economy, including strengthening and diversifying it through research and
preparing and training a high-wage workforce. He cited Southeastern's Small Business
Development Center, which has assisted more than 300 local businesses, as an example of a
center force in education and retaining businesses in southeast Louisiana.
     Powell reminded attendees in a question and answer session that transformation will not
come in one day, one week or one year, but community by community, job by job.
     "We cannot become what we need to be by remaining who we are," said Powell in
closing. "If we fail, we can only blame ourselves for not demanding more from our leadership."
                             -SLU-
Press release available online at www.selu.edu/news/spring02.html