On Jan. 30, about 300 people gathered in a small auditorium at St. Charles Community College. Looking around, there were people holding cameras, raising posters and clapping in support, all for Senator Rick Santorum, from Pennsylvania. Senator Santorum is currently running for the Republican nomination for president.

Between discussing his views on manufacturing and immigrants, Senator Santorum covered nearly every topic out there, but his primary focus was on the education system.

Senator Santorum believes that the three ways of success are to work, graduate high school and to get married before having children. But, without one or more of the three ways of success, a person will lower their success rate.

“If you do the three things to be successful, then your chance of living in poverty is only two percent,” Senator Santorum said. “Along with this, your chance of being in the top half of Americans is 77 percent.”

One out of three children in America will not graduate high school, according to Senator Santorum.

“America is a land of opportunity. If you do the basics, then you are almost guaranteed to succeed in life,” Senator Santorum said.

Though Senator Santorum feels it is important for people to get a good education in order to succeed in life, he feels the main responsibility lies on the parents.

“Parents are responsible for educating their children,” Senator Santorum said. “Schools are to help create the best possible environment to educate children.”