[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 69 (Thursday, May 16, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E827]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO SYLVIA LEWIS PARKS

                                 ______


                         HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 16, 1996

  Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mrs. Sylvia 
Lewis Parks on the occasion of her retirement from Richland County 
School District One after 38 years of dedicated and unselfish service 
to the children of Columbia, SC.
  Mrs. Parks joined the school system in 1958 as an elementary school 
teacher, where she quickly earned a reputation for her superior and 
innovative teaching style. After just over a decade of classroom 
teaching, Mrs. Parks began the first of numerous increasingly important 
positions within the school system, eventually becoming one of the top 
administrators in the entire system. Some of these positions were: 
Title One Coordinator; Director of Federal Programs; Executive Director 
for Development Programs; Executive Director for Development and 
Planning; and, Acting Associate Superintendent for Elementary 
Education. Mrs. Parks' most recent position has been Executive Director 
for Elementary School Services.
  In addition to her work with Richland District One, Mrs. Parks has 
been a consultant to school districts and educational associations 
across the country including: the U.S. Department of Education, 
Seattle, WA, Public Schools, the Oklahoma City Schools, and the 
Fayetteville, NC, School District. She has been a presenter at the 
Overseas School-to-School Partnership in Gabon and Cameroon, West 
Africa, the South Carolina Association of Elementary and Middle School 
Principals, and the South Carolina Education Association.
  While keeping a very busy professional schedule, Mrs. Parks has 
always generously found time to serve her community and to improve the 
lives of the world at large. She has been a member of the board of 
directors of the United Black Fund, the Columbia Urban League, and the 
Midlands Marine Institute. She previously served as president of the 
Richland County Chapter of the Assault on Illiteracy Program and was a 
member of the South Carolina Coalition of Blacks and Jews, the 
Community Relations Council, the Seven-Thirty Breakfast Club, and the 
Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce. She is a member of Alpha Kappa 
Alpha Sorority and a former member of Jack and Jill of America, Inc.
  Despite the numerous demands on her time, Mrs. Parks has always found 
time for her family. She is a dedicated wife, mother, and grandmother. 
She is a friendly neighbor and a warm smile to all who meet her. Over 
the years, she has served as a mentor to legions of students, teachers, 
and school administrators. Mrs. Parks is a dedicated member of the St 
John Baptist Church, where she has been a member of numerous committees 
and organizations.
  Mr. Speaker, Sylvia Parks is a true Renaissance woman. I am proud to 
represent her in the Congress. While she will be missed at Richland 
School District One, I am sure her dedication and untiring devotion to 
our children will never end. I ask that you and the other Members of 
the House join me in saluting Mrs. Sylvia Lewis Parks as her family, 
friends, and colleagues gather to celebrate her retirement on Saturday, 
May 25, 1996, at the Clarion Townhouse in Columbia, SC.

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