Joe Manchin: “I rise today to congratulate former West Virginia Gov. Gaston Caperton on 30 years of outstanding leadership as the…”

“I rise today to congratulate former West Virginia Gov. Gaston Caperton on 30 years of outstanding leadership as the president of the College Board. It is my privilege to honor Governor Caperton, a native of Charleston, WV, for his leadership in the field of education. Governor Caperton's own childhood experience instilled in him the importance of education at a very young age. As a child who struggled with dyslexia, he was able to overcome the hurdles he faced in the classroom and truly achieve educational excellence. He earned his bachelor's degree in business from the University of North Carolina and has taught at prestigious institutions, including Harvard and Columbia University. He also holds 10 honorary doctoral degrees. Governor Caperton returned to the great State of West Virginia and served as Governor from 1989 to 1997. During his two terms in office, Governor Caperton made education a top priority and improved the lives of thousands of West Virginia students. He supported an $800 million school renovation program that directly benefited two-thirds of West Virginia's public school students, facilitating classroom upgrades and additional renovations in all of our schools. Governor Caperton has been recognized nationally for working to upgrade our State's classroom technology to keep West Virginia students competitive in an increasingly global economy. In addition, he helped raise teacher salaries from 49th place to 31st place in the Nation.…”