[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 152 (Thursday, November 12, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S12997]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO 1999 MARYLAND TEACHER OF THE YEAR

 Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I rise to recognize the 
remarkable achievements of one of my constituents, Rachael Younkers, 
who has won the title of 1999 Maryland Teacher of the Year. This honor 
is a tribute to her dedication to and mastery of the art of teaching 
seventh and eighth grade students at Plum Point Middle School, and is 
even more impressive by the fact that this 27-year-old is the youngest 
person ever to win the award in its twelve year history. I am so proud 
to congratulate Mrs. Younkers, the first winner from Southern Maryland, 
for being named the 1999 Maryland Teacher of the Year from 23 other 
Maryland candidates.
  Mrs. Younkers is a native of Calvert County who, according to 
students and peers alike, brings a unique energy to her classes which 
serves to excite her students about social studies topics that may 
otherwise seem dull or out-of-date. Through the use of innovative 
teaching techniques, including learning games and exploration of the 
internet, Mrs. Younkers has brought a fresh perspective to her 
teachings.
  It has always been my firm belief that the education and training of 
our young people is one of the most important tasks in a democratic 
society. Mr. President, I would like my colleagues to join me in 
recognizing the hard work that has led Mrs. Younkers to receive this 
recognition. I ask unanimous consent that an article from the Southern 
Maryland Extra to the Washington Post be inserted into the Record 
immediately following my remarks, and I yield the floor.

   (From the Washington Post, Southern Maryland Extra, Oct. 22, 1998)

       In Room, 216 at Plum Point Middle School, social studies 
     teacher Rachael Younkers is quizzing her students on the 
     great European explorers: Christopher Columbus, Vasco da 
     Gama, Sir Francis Drake and so forth. You wouldn't think a 
     roomful of 13-year-olds would be interested in a bunch of 
     long-dead strangers, but that's clearly not the case in this 
     class.
       Hand after hand shoots up in the air, students eager to 
     supply the appropriate answers. Later, when the class 
     adjourns to the library, the youngsters rush about looking 
     for the needed information. There's a certain excitement in 
     the air, a feeling that school and learning and even homework 
     can be, well, fun.
       Plum Point Principal Michael Reidy sums up the situation 
     this way: ``Mrs. Younkers has a spirit about her that creates 
     magic in the classroom.''
       That spirit has won Younkers the title of 1999 Maryland 
     Teacher of the Year. Younkers, 27, is the youngest teacher to 
     win the award in its 12-year history and the first from 
     Southern Maryland. She received the award--which includes a 
     $5,000 check and other prizes--at a ceremony Friday evening 
     in Baltimore.
       Younkers has taught seventh- and eighth-grade social 
     studies at the Huntingtown school for five years, her entire 
     career in education. Younkers, a native of Calvert County, 
     said her inspiration in teaching has been her mother, a 
     social studies teacher at Northern High School. One of the 
     most important lessons her mother passed along was the 
     importance of actively involving students in their education, 
     she said.
       ``My teaching philosophy is based on an ancient Chinese 
     proverb: `Tell me, I forget. Show me, I remember. Involve me, 
     I understand,' '' Younkers said.
       And involve her students she does. During a class on 
     Tuesday, Younkers divided her 28 eighth-graders into teams 
     and dispatched them to the library to research a specific 
     explorer. Among their tasks: Finding the explorer's 
     photograph on the Internet, drawing a detailed picture of his 
     ship and writing a daily log of weather conditions during his 
     voyage. The students even had to compose a letter to the king 
     and queen explaining why they should fund the explorer's 
     trip.
       ``Learning is not a spectator sport,'' Younkers said. ``The 
     kids are the actual players in the game, and they need to be 
     actively involved in their own learning. I see myself as a 
     partner in their education, and that's how we win.''
       Her students seem to like the technique. ``It's not like 
     we're talking about a lot of dead guys,'' said Nathan Bowen, 
     an eighth-grader from Prince Frederick. ``She really brings 
     it to life.''
       Nathan said he especially likes all the fun games Younkers 
     comes up with, including baseball and basketball matches that 
     are played in the classroom and adapted to the subject being 
     studied. Treasure hunts and ``Social Studies Jeopardy'' also 
     are frequent occurrences in Room 216.
       Larkin Jones, also an eighth-grader, said she admires her 
     teacher's personality. ``She's always smiling and happy, and 
     she knows a lot about you.'' And that fact that she's young 
     makes it ``really easy to talk to her,'' Jones said.
       Indeed, Younkers has made such an impression on Larkin that 
     she recently confided in her mother that she might want to be 
     a social studies teacher when she grows up, ``just like Mrs. 
     Younkers.''
       ``She's been a tremendous influence on her,'' said Donna 
     Jones, Larkin's mother. Jones, a guidance counselor at Plum 
     Point added that Younkers has a unique ability to help all 
     students--whether they're honor roll or in need of remedial 
     instruction.'' As a counselor, it's very comforting to know 
     that no matter what level a student is, if they have Mrs. 
     Younkers, they'll have a wonderful year.''
       Younkers beat out 23 state semi-finalists, who were chosen 
     from among Maryland's 49,000 teachers. She now advances to 
     the national Teacher of the Year competition.
       For the national contest, she must adopt an issue that she 
     will advocate. Younkers said she will work to encourage the 
     best and the brightest students to become teachers. Maryland, 
     like other states, will face a severe teacher shortage in 
     coming years, and, as Younkers said, ``Our students deserve 
     to learn from highly qualified instructors.''
       The national Teacher of the Year will be selected in the 
     spring. In the meantime, Younkers is maintaining a rigorous 
     speaking tour--talking to other educators, as well as 
     politicians--and her students are getting used to the extra 
     media attention and the parents who stop by with gifts and 
     words of praise.

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