[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 174 (Monday, November 6, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S16700-S16701]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

                                 ______


                   HONORING SOUTH CAROLINA EDUCATORS

 Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I would like to take this 
opportunity to pay tribute to three outstanding South Carolina 
teachers: Barbara Weston, Abraham Funchess and Jeanne Sink. Recently, 
they were recognized by the Milken Family Foundation of California for 
outstanding work in their South Carolina classrooms.
  Barbara Weston is a 20-year educator who now teaches at the Five 
Points School in Columbia. This school is an alternative program 
designed to prevent students from dropping out of high school. It is at 
that school that Mrs. Weston has taken on the role of teacher, 
counselor, and mentor with relish.
  The school is small--just 50 students. And Barbara Weston knows them 
all by name--and more. She exchanges phone numbers with parents of her 
students and encourages contact. As her students have learned, it is 
hard to get away with nonsense when your teacher knows your parents and 
knows how to find you.
  Barbara Weston, a native of South Carolina who was raised in 
Eastover, teaches English. Her students say she is a caring teacher who 
lives by the creed: ``There's nothing you can't do.'' You cannot expect 
much more of a teacher than that. The Milken Foundation is not the 
first to recognize her achievements. Last year, she was named the 
Richland District I Teacher of the Year and was a State finalist for 
the South Carolina Teacher of the Year Award.
  Mrs. Weston, a graduate of South Carolina State College, is married 
to Samuel Weston and they have two sons.
  Mr. President, Abraham Funchess is a sixth-grade science teacher at 
John Ford Middle School in St. Matthews, the town where he was born, 
raised, and educated.
  Mr. Funchess has been a fixture in the education system of Calhoun 
County for 28 years. He has touched the lives of thousands of children 
there. He teaches them the joys of nature in his outdoor laboratory 
where students plant a garden and watch it grow. On other occasions, 
they uncover the mysteries of the forest's sights and sounds during 
nearby nature walks.
  In the classroom, Mr. Funchess guides his students through laboratory 
experiments and watches their excitement as they compare answers with 
students in other cities through a link-up on the Internet.
  ``I don't teach books; I teach students,'' is the way Mr. Funchess 
describes his teaching philosophy. His is a hands-on teaching style 
that shows every student the joy of learning. There is a motto in large 
letters above his chalkboard that says: ``I see; I hear; I forget. But 
when I do, I understand.'' It is a motto Mr. Funchess has embraced and 
one for which his students are thankful.
  Abraham Funchess has been named Teacher of the Year at John Ford 
Middle School for the past 2 years. He received his undergraduate 
degree at South Carolina's Claflin College and his master's at South 
Carolina State. 

[[Page S 16701]]
 He also has served on the State Board of Education. Mr. Funchess is 
married to the former Bernice Legette of Rains, SC, and they have three 
children.
  Mr. President, last but certainly not least, we recognize Jeanne 
Sink--a teacher at St. Andrews Parish High School in Charleston where 
my wife Peatsy used to teach.
  Mrs. Sink teaches a subject that was not around when I was in high 
school. She guides students through the world of technology. As we move 
into the 21st century, this is certainly a subject that our students 
need to understand, and no one explains it better than Jeanne Sink.
  She teaches all kinds of practical technology lessons. Gone are the 
old days of written reports. In Jeanne Sink's class, students learn how 
to give multimedia presentations. They have become pros with today's 
computer systems and use sophisticated programs to scan pictures, add 
sound and type in text. The presentations they give are polished and to 
the point.
  Students in Mrs. Sink's class also employ their technology lessons to 
publish the school newspaper on the Macintosh. As such, they are able 
to practice their English, grammar, journalism, and computer skills all 
at once. Mrs. Sink also teaches special classes for students with a 
history of academic difficulties and has piloted a program to work 
closely with students who have been expelled and are enrolled at other 
schools.
  Mrs. Sink has been teaching for 17 years and credits the kudos she 
has received to her philosophy that all students can be successful. Her 
students have not always had great academic track records, but she does 
not let that discourage her--or them. She tries to turn them on to 
education by showing them affection, respect, and lots of patience.
  It should come as no surprise to learn that Jeanne Sink has been 
named South Carolina Teacher of the Year and has won several other 
teaching awards. She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees at 
the College of Charleston. She and her husband Eddie have three 
children.
  Mr. President, these three teachers demonstrate the incredible impact 
that committed teachers can have. Combined, they have 64 years of 
classroom experience and have made a tremendous contribution to South 
Carolina. I appreciate this opportunity to express my respect and 
gratitude and to wish them all the best.

                          ____________________