[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 118 (Tuesday, September 9, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H7106]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   DR. PATRICIA WORTHY OYESHIKU: 1997 WESTERN REGIONAL EXCELLENCE IN 
                             TEACHING AWARD

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from California [Mr. Filner] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FILNER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dr. 
Patricia Worthy Oyeshiku, a distinguished teacher from my hometown of 
San Diego who has made a positive impact on thousands of young lives in 
our community. I am proud to recognize Dr. Oyeshiku, an outstanding 
teacher at Morse High School in my congressional district where she has 
taught since 1971.
  Mrs. O, as all her students call her, has just received the 1997 
Western Regional Excellence in Teaching Award by the National Council 
of Negro Women. This excellence in teaching award is designed to raise 
awareness and involvement of African-American parents, educators and 
community leaders in meeting the educational needs of African-American 
youth.
  The award recognizes exceptional public school teachers of African-
American students who are living the philosophy and legacy of the 
National Council of Negro Women. Funded by the Shell Oil Company, the 
award ceremonies are an opportunity to generate greater public 
awareness and appreciation of excellence in teaching.
  This is not the first time that Mrs. O has been recognized for her 
outstanding contribution to our young people. She was the California 
Teacher of the Year in 1981 and also a National Teacher of the Year 
finalist that year. She was honored as the Headliner in Education by 
the San Diego Press Club in 1981.
  She serves on the California Academic Partnership Program Advisory 
Board, is an Evaluation Team Leader of the California Commission on 
Teacher Credentialing, has served as past Cochairman for all English 
Department Chairs in the San Diego Unified School District. She is a 
member of the Advisory Committee in Reading for the San Diego Unified 
Achievement Goals Program and of the Advisory Council to an 
Interdisciplinary Approach to Multi-Cultural Education. She has 
lectured throughout the State of California on issues related to 
education.
  Mrs. O has always been an outstanding role model for many years. She 
served in the Peace Corps in Brazil, received the John F. Kennedy Award 
as the outstanding Peace Corps volunteer back in 1966. She is a member 
of the Readathon Advisory Board of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
  When I was a member of the San Diego School Board from 1979 to 1983 
and its president, Mrs. O helped me a great deal to understand the 
needs of students throughout our school district and advised me very 
closely on matters of raising the achievement of all the students in 
our district. Like those before her who have received this high honor, 
Mrs. O has worked tirelessly for the benefit of every student in her 
classes. Her principal, Dr. Shirley Peterson, told me that she is 
honored on behalf of all the Morse High School Tigers to recognize Mrs. 
O for receiving this prestigious award and to commend her and applaud 
her efforts.
  Madam Speaker, every student deserves the opportunity to succeed and 
every student deserves a teacher like Dr. Patricia Worthy Oyeshiku. I 
am pleased that her efforts are recognized with the 1997 Western 
Regional Excellence in Teaching Award.

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