Spellings lauds center's hands-on lessons

SIMI VALLEY, Calif., June 9 (UPI) -- Learning occurs in places beyond the classroom and goes beyond the responsibility of schools, U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said Monday.

Education "also an integral part of our homes, churches, synagogues, communities, and workplaces" Spellings said at the opening of the Air Force One Discovery Center at the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif. "That's why it's so appropriate that the Reagan Library continues to play a role in education consistent with this vision."

The Air Force One Discovery Center is a hands-on educational experience that promotes exploration of the presidential decision-making process through interactive programs and simulations.

"Because students themselves assess the situation and call the shots, they exercise analytical skills, learn about leadership and cooperate as a team," she said. "All of these are talents are sorely needed to develop the next generation of public servants."

Spellings said the chief commitment of the federal government is to serve "our neediest students and schools. A rapidly changing world means that this mission is more urgent today than ever before."

Reagan emphasized education needed more leadership, "and we still need strong leaders ... to seize the opportunity to innovate, lead, and communicate what works," she said.