2006年VOA标准英语-Free University Education Sparks Economic Rebir

By Mil Arcega
Washington, DC
13 September 2006
 
watch Kalamazoo Promise
 
  
  
The promise of a free college education has brought about a remarkable¹ economic turnaround for the U.S. Midwestern city of Kalamazoo in the state of Michigan.  The city had fallen on hard times until a group of philanthropists came up with a novel idea -- provide a free university education to every student enrolled² in the Kalamazoo Public School system. 

-------

 
Greg Dehaan 
  
Housing sales are cooling off in most U.S. cities, but not in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Home prices are up seven percent. Builder Greg Dehaan says, "We see just a steady demand and we anticipate that demand increasing."

Even more remarkable is that the company Dehaan works for has accepted contracts to build $10 million worth of homes in the past 45 days. That's something that hasn't happened for many years.

This city used to be where they built Checker cabs.  The city had a timber mill, an appliance factory and a corset company.   All of them have been shut down.  But last year, a group of philanthropists came together to stop the city's economic decline.   They created the "Kalamazoo Promise" -- a fund that will pay the college tuition for every public school student in Kalamazoo.

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm says it's an impressive gift. "Unbelievable!  What a gift, to not just the students but to the whole community and to the whole state.  You know we have this goal of doubling the number of college graduates,” said the governor. “Kalamazoo is going to make that happen single-handedly thanks to the unbelievable generosity³ of some donors⁴."

And it seems to be working.  The school district says it added 450 new students this year. 

New businesses are coming to town, many drawn⁵ here because of the obvious benefits for employees. 

Here's how it works: Students who stay in the Kalamazoo Public School system from kindergarten through high school will have their entire tuition fees paid for at any Michigan public university.  Students who enter the system by the ninth grade are eligible⁶ for at least 65 percent.

 
Andrea Smith 
  
High school senior Andrea Smith thinks, "It's priceless -- the generosity -- because it's going to touch more than just the people who will get an education.  It's gonna touch families and generations beyond that."

And it's being noticed by lawmakers outside Kalamazoo. City officials say they've been contacted by counterparts from Ohio, Iowa and Pennsylvania -- all of them with an eye to making promises of their own. 

Mayor Hannah McKinney says Kalamazoo has a lot to be proud of. "We will be the education city.  We will be a place where every kid goes to college."

And for Denise Galipeau-Singson -- who came with her two children from Honolulu -- that's enough reason to call Kalamazoo their new home.  "I'm very, very positive and optimistic about this move," she says.

1 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

2 enrolled   

adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起

参考例句：

• They have been studying hard from the moment they enrolled. 从入学时起，他们就一直努力学习。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He enrolled with an employment agency for a teaching position. 他在职业介绍所登了记以谋求一个教师的职位。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 generosity   

n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为

参考例句：

• We should match their generosity with our own.我们应该像他们一样慷慨大方。
• We adore them for their generosity.我们钦佩他们的慷慨。

4 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

6 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。