[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 351 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 351

   Congratulating and honoring Rodney Robinson on receiving the 2019 
                  National Teacher of the Year Award.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 2, 2019

Mr. McEachin (for himself, Mr. Wittman, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Griffith, Mr. 
 Beyer, Mr. Cline, Mrs. Luria, Mr. Riggleman, Ms. Spanberger, and Ms. 
 Wexton) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Congratulating and honoring Rodney Robinson on receiving the 2019 
                  National Teacher of the Year Award.

Whereas, on April 24, 2019, Rodney Robinson was named National Teacher of the 
        Year by the Council of Chief State School Officers;
Whereas Rodney Robinson is a social studies teacher at Virgie Binford Education 
        Center inside the Richmond Juvenile Detention Center;
Whereas since he began teaching at Virgie Binford Education Center in 2015, Mr. 
        Robinson has worked with disadvantaged youth, equipping them with the 
        knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary to move forward and 
        accomplish their goals;
Whereas Mr. Robinson's work to help our most vulnerable students achieve 
        educational excellence has improved the academic performance of 
        countless students, strengthening reading proficiency and working to 
        ensure students graduate on time;
Whereas Mr. Robinson helps disadvantaged youth realize their full potential by 
        boosting self-esteem and creating a nurturing, safe, and inclusive 
        environment where every student is encouraged to discuss the issues in 
        their communities and past;
Whereas Mr. Robinson inspires his students to overcome their challenges and 
        achieve their dreams by adorning the barren walls of Virgie Binford 
        Education Center with college pennants and photos of inspirational 
        historical figures;
Whereas Mr. Robinson is quoted as saying, ``My kids have overcome some 
        tremendous odds and been through some traumatic, horrific circumstances, 
        yet they still triumph, they still have dreams, they will want to be 
        doctors and lawyers and everything you can [think] of . . . Helping kids 
        channel all that energy and dreams into something positive where they 
        can see an outcome and a result, that is what I love most about 
        teaching.'';
Whereas while attending the Yale National Initiative, Mr. Robinson developed his 
        own student-focused curriculum for his social studies classes, 
        empowering students to advocate for societal change by exploring social 
        justice issues, the history of the United States prison system, the 
        effects of racial segregation, and more;
Whereas Mr. Robinson was inspired to become a teacher by his mother and has been 
        teaching in Richmond, Virginia, for over 19 years;
Whereas Mr. Robinson received his bachelor's degree in history from Virginia 
        State University and his master's degree in educational administration 
        and supervision from Virginia Commonwealth University;
Whereas prior to teaching at Virgie Binford Education Center, Mr. Robinson 
        taught at several other schools in the greater Richmond area, including 
        Lucille Brown Middle School, George Wythe High School, and Armstrong 
        High School;
Whereas Mr. Robinson is the first teacher from Richmond Public Schools to 
        receive this prestigious award, and just the third in the history of the 
        Commonwealth of Virginia;
Whereas Mr. Robinson was selected for this award from among 57 award-winning 
        teachers out of the more than 3.6 million teachers nationally;
Whereas, as Teacher of the Year, Mr. Robinson will travel the country for the 
        next year to advocate for ``economic and cultural equity'', seeking to 
        ensure that all students have the resources necessary to be successful 
        and working to increase the number of teachers of color in public school 
        systems;
Whereas teachers are indispensable mentors in our society; and
Whereas the continued and future success of America is intimately dependent on 
        the vital work of the Nation's educators: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) congratulates and honors Rodney Robinson on receiving 
        the 2019 National Teacher of the Year Award;
            (2) celebrates all four finalists for the National Teacher 
        of the Year Award for their remarkable service and commitment 
        to America's youth; and
            (3) respectfully requests that the Clerk of the House of 
        Representatives transmits an enrolled copy of this resolution 
        to--
                    (A) Rodney Robinson, the recipient of the 2019 
                National Teacher of the Year Award; and
                    (B) Jason Kamras, the Superintendent of Richmond 
                Public Schools.
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