Cornell Companies to Establish Memorial to American Values At Shanksville School Near Crash Site of United Flight 93.

Business & News Editors

SHANKSVILLE, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 29, 2002

Sculpture, Library Enhancements and Teachable Moments to be

Featured Dedication Set for May 18th

Cornell Companies Inc (NYSE:CRN) has announced that it will establish a memorial to American ideals at the Shanksville-Stonycreek school, near the Pennsylvania site of the crash of United Flight 93 on September 11th. The memorial will feature a sculpture designed in part by art students from the school; the addition of books recommended by the families of Flight 93, the students at Shanksville School and other prominent Americans to the school library; and, the development of curriculum materials that will serve to capitalize on the "teachable moment" of September 11th.

"The passengers and crew of United Flight 93 and the students, faculty and people of the Shanksville community demonstrated the American ideals of patriotism, heroism, courage, self-sacrifice, volunteerism and sense of community on September 11th with a clarity that has fostered a sense of pride and purpose across America," said Jack Godlesky, regional vice president for Cornell Companies. "What happened here on that day of national tragedy inspired America and demonstrated the enduring American spirit that makes our nation a beacon of freedom throughout the world. We can not let these events become a mere footnote to the history of the larger event," he added.

Steven W. Logan, president of Cornell Companies Inc., said, "We first came to the Shanksville-Stonycreek School District to provide the resources necessary for the children and faculty to memorialize the American ideals demonstrated by the heroes of United Flight 93. In the process, we discovered that while those ideals were manifest on board the plane, they were also a part of the fabric of the community where the tragedy took place. This small rural community and its children, in a moment of crisis for our nation, demonstrated the values that define us as a people."

Gary A. Singel, Superintendent, Shanksville-Stonycreek School District, described the experiences of September 11th in a recent letter to the community. It said, "Unwittingly, the students, staff and community members of the Shanksville-Stonycreek School District became emotional victims and responders to a tragedy of such scope and magnitude that it rocked the foundations of human souls throughout our global society. Our school and community have reacted with a spirit of volunteerism, unparalleled in recent memory. Food drives, stocking supply lines, assisting rescue and recovery efforts, tributes to heroism and patriotism with flags and banners, support for visiting relatives of victims, fund raisers of every variety, letters, prose and poetry to soothe those deeply and emotionally scarred by the tragic turn of events were all part of a response that was as much therapy for us as it was for the victims."

The memorial will incorporate a sculpture on the school site, significant additions to the school library and development of lesson plans to capture the "teachable moments" that the tragedy presents for students.

Jan Loney, a Pittsburgh sculptor commissioned by Cornell Companies, has been serving as an artist in residence at the school for the past month. With assistance from Joy Knepp, the school's art teacher, Loney has worked with students to develop the initial design concept for the sculpture. "This project has allowed the students to express themselves regarding the tragedy and they have provided many intriguing concepts for the initial design," Loney said.

The sculpture, which will be placed near the school flagpole from which the fireball and smoke of the crash could be seen, will be part of a landscaped path with large stones engraved with quotations selected by the students. The quotations will provide enduring reminders of our values as a people. Benches will provide students and visitors the opportunity to ponder the events of that day.

Families of the passengers of Flight 93, students at the school and prominent Americans have been given the opportunity to identify book titles that were either meaningful to them or their loved ones or speak to the values on display in Shanksville. Cornell Companies will provide copies of each volume to supplement the school library. Individuals recommending books have been asked to write a brief note explaining their choice and those notes will be permanently displayed at the school.

Cornell Companies will also provide the resources necessary to enable a group of faculty members to develop grade-sensitive lesson plans that will ensure that the lessons of this tragedy are available for students in the future.

Cornell will host a dedication ceremony, featuring prominent Pennsylvanians and government officials, emergency service personnel and prominent Americans. The dedication is set for 9:30 AM on May 17, 2002 and will be held on the school grounds.

Ms. Loney is an artist and sculptor who works in a variety of metals and a range of sizes. She studied at Marietta College, the Cleveland Institute of Art and abroad. She is an instructor at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and the Society for Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh, and Touchstone Center for Crafts in Uniontown, Pa. Ms. Loney has been an artist-in-residence at West Liberty Classical Academy for the past 6 years, and has also completed residencies at the Community Literacy Center, Pittsburgh and Latrobe High School in Latrobe, Pa.

Cornell Companies is a leading private provider of corrections, treatment and educational services to government agencies. Focusing on adult and juvenile populations in both institutional and community settings, Cornell provides a full array of services in an environment of dignity and respect, emphasizing community safety and rehabilitation in support of sound public policy. The company currently has contracts to operate 69 facilities with a service capacity of 15,444 in 13 states and the District of Columbia.