[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 64 (Wednesday, May 5, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4729-S4733]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, this week is Teacher Appreciation Week.
Yesterday was National Teacher Day.
For a number of our colleagues, education is such a core subject--
both of the 105th Congress and now in the 106th Congress--Members want
to express themselves on this subject.
I am joined today by the distinguished Senator from Mississippi with
some opening remarks about Teacher Appreciation Week.
I yield up to 4 minutes to the Senator from Mississippi.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Mississippi.
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, let me congratulate my friend, the
distinguished Senator from Georgia, for organizing this special order
and allowing this opportunity to speak on the subject of Teacher
Appreciation Week.
Tribute to Tina Scholtes, Mississippi's Teacher of the Year
Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I am proud to cosponsor the Senate
Resolution proclaiming this week Teacher Appreciation Week.
This week, in every state, students and parents are taking time to
thank the school teachers, and we should too. They are the true heroes
in our nation's effort to enrich the lives of all our citizens through
education.
I want to pay tribute today to a special Mississippi teacher. She is
Mississippi Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Tina Fisher Scholtes, of Sudduth
Elementary School in Starkville, Mississippi. Tina has been an
elementary school teacher for sixteen years. She has spent the past
fourteen years teaching first grade in Starkville.
First grade lays the foundation for formal education. Every parent
hopes their child will begin school with an excellent teacher. Tina
Scholtes is without a doubt an excellent teacher. Being an excellent
teacher requires hard work, along with respect for children and an
understanding of the learning process. Tina has those attributes and
more. She also cares about outcomes. She wants all her students to
succeed.
Beyond the Masters Degree she earned at Mississippi State University,
Tina has completed professional development for teaching reading and
mathematics; the special needs of teaching deaf students; National
Board Certification; and training other teachers. Her resume is
evidence of her capacity for gaining knowledge and sharing it with
others. While continuing her first grade teaching, she has returned to
Mississippi State University where as a clinical instructor she directs
the activities of student teachers.
Tina has brought new teaching techniques into the schools where she
has taught. She serves as a mentor to new teachers and has developed
school wide curriculum reforms. She also has used local television
programs to provide early childhood education lessons to parents.
Another indication that she is a dedicated teacher is her
participation in the Parent Teacher Association where she served as
President while teaching at Emerson Elementary School. Tina recognizes
the importance of teachers participating in the community and is active
in her church, and in other community activities.
I was very pleased that Tina Scholtes took time to visit my office
when she was in Washington recently for the National Teacher of the
Year recognition events.
I congratulate her on all her successes. The first graders in
Starkville, Mississippi are lucky, indeed, to begin their lives as
students with Tina Scholtes, and we are all grateful to her for being
such a good example for other teachers to follow.
Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I yield up to 4 minutes to the
distinguished chairman of the Labor-Education Committee, Senator
Jeffords.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Senator Jeffords is recognized.
Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, it is a pleasure to participate in
honoring our teachers in National Teacher Appreciation Week.
I think we all remember those early years of our lives when we
started school. I still remember the first day of first grade. I
remember going to school in my father's hand and fearing what was going
to happen to me. I remember Mrs. Anderson who greeted us all
individually at the door and how immediately I warmed up to her. It was
then I realized this really wasn't going to be as bad as I thought. I
can even remember where my seat was that year.
Ms. Maughn, in second grade, was another wonderful person. The
teacher I remember more was Viola Burns, my third grade teacher. That
was the beginning of World War II. She realized I needed a little
further work so she had me read Time magazine and come back to her to
talk about it. I also had her in the sixth grade. She was an incredible
individual who helped shape my life.
Then fourth grade was ``teacher unappreciation year''--I don't want
to remember that. We rebelled. We ran through five teachers before we
settled down. I wiped that from my memory. I feel sorry for those five
teachers.
I think everyone has memories and understands what an incredible help
a teacher can be in our lives.
My mother was a music and art teacher; my sister, a third grade
teacher; my niece is a teacher; the man across the street was the
principal of our high school.
Those schools are gone. My former elementary school is now a private
school, a Christian church school; middle school is the fire station;
my high school is now the middle school.
I still remember the teachers. It is not brick and mortar but the
teachers that make a difference. Dindo Rivera goes around the country
talking about the changes in education and how important it is. If an
office worker had fallen asleep 20 years ago, woke up and walked
through a modern office, they would be in incredible despair. They
wouldn't know what to do. They wouldn't know how to answer the phone.
But he goes on to say that if a teacher had the same experience of
falling asleep and waking up now, that teacher would walk into the
classroom and find that not much had changed. But the world has changed
and our teachers cannot be made the scapegoats. We should not indicate
that it is their problem. We, as a nation, have to recognize the
teachers need help and we have to give it to them. That means we have
to develop professional training. We have to be sure our colleges are
producing teachers who are well qualified. At the same time, we have to
recognize that our Nation will not prosper if we do not realize it is
the teachers who make the difference. We are increasing standards and
doing all these things to envelop them with modern technology
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which is difficult to understand, especially if you don't have more
than 10 minutes in a day to even think about those things.
I think it is incredibly important we all remember the teachers,
especially this year, since the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
is up for reauthorization. This is our moment, at a critical time in
our history, when we must take a look at the problems and the demands
and the difficulties that are presented to our teachers and devise the
means to help them help us become the Nation we all want to be.
Let's think about our teachers today, remember what they did for us,
and think about what we can do for them.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the distinguished Senator
from Idaho.
Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I want to personally thank you for
arranging for us to take this time out of our busy schedules to
recognize teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week.
Providing the brightest future for our nation's children is one of
the most important things we will do here on the floor of the Senate.
After parents and families, America's teachers play the leading role in
helping our children reach their potential. Therefore, it gives me
great pleasure to join in tribute to our nation's outstanding educators
and recognize a few of the top teachers in my home state of Idaho.
We all know the impact of teachers. Five days a week, for 9 months of
every year, nearly 3 million teachers in this country help mold our
children's future. I believe in the quality education our teachers,
administrators, and others provide in Idaho. That is why my children
continue to reside in the great State of Idaho. My wife Susan and I
made the decision nearly 7 years ago when I was first elected to
Congress that she and our children would remain in Idaho. We wanted our
children to continue to receive the quality education they now
experience in Idaho's public school system.
That quality education takes many faces. I want to show you one of
them this morning. Judy Bieze lives in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and teaches
first grade at Hayden Meadows Elementary in nearby Hayden Lake.
Mrs. Bieze was honored this year by the State of Idaho as Teacher of
the Year. But she is more than that; she is also a local softball coach
and a Sunday school teacher, so I guess that makes her a teacher 7 days
a week.
During each school year Mrs. Bieze gives individual attention to her
students by profiling each one as the ``Special and Unique'' person of
the week. She also encourages parents to volunteer in the classroom and
to take an active role in their child's learning.
It is the ability to give of herself that makes Mrs. Bieze special.
Her superintendent says she ``exemplifies the initiative and dedication
we seek in our educators.'' Mrs. Bieze characteristically deflects that
praise and credits her students. She says she--in her words--is ``truly
blessed'' as ``the recipient of their unrestrained love, curiosity and
enthusiasm for six hours each day.'' If only we could be holding more
speeches on the floor of this Senate that deal with issues like love,
curiosity and enthusiasm. Mrs. Bieze, we salute you.
I would be remiss in not mentioning some of Idaho's other outstanding
teachers. Just last week, Idaho's PTA honored Jeff Durner, a fifth-
grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary in Boise. The PTA credits Mr.
Durner for helping children ``become the best they can be.''
The Idaho Education Association credits a sixth-grade teacher from my
hometown of Idaho Falls as being worthy of special recognition. Zoe Ann
Jorgenson has helped develop a special program in her district that
groups children based on their needs, not on their age. She says many
parents have chosen to keep their children in public schools, rather
than move them to private classrooms, based on this innovative and
unique program.
Mrs. Jorgenson believes the system should be made to fit the
children, not that children be forced to fit the system. She says that
parents are looking for choices within the structure of the public
school system, and she wants to offer them those choices.
Finally, Idaho Parents Unlimited says a special education teacher
formerly from Blackfoot, and now from Meridian, ID deserves credit for
trail-blazing programs for students that are sometimes forgotten in our
school systems.
Barbara Jones earned the title of Special Education Consulting
Teacher. One parent in Blackfoot described her as ``a true gift to my
son as well as myself.'' Ms. Jones is now helping both fellow teachers
and students learn how special needs can offer special rewards.
We all have a stake in this process, because our children's success
in education depends on the support they receive at home, and the
future of our nation depends on the leaders we are raising today.
Some define leadership as what we do with our opportunities. I am
proud to praise these fine Idaho educators who have moved the bar
higher--for our children.
Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize teachers across
America for the vital work they do. I come from a family of educators,
so I have seen firsthand the grueling work teachers go through every
day--not for their own gain, but because they care about each and every
one of our children. Teachers are not the highest paid people, they are
not in the most glamorous profession--but they are, and should be,
among the most respected people in our country. That is why it was so
important that we declared this week as the 14th Annual Teacher
Appreciation Week and that we recognized May 4, 1999, as National
Teacher Day.
Mr. President, the resolution that we passed yesterday states that
education is key to the very foundation of American freedom and
democracy we all enjoy, that teachers have a profound impact on the
development of our children, and that much of the success we enjoy here
in the United States can be attributed to our teachers. The resolution
also states that while ``many people spend their lives building
careers, teachers spend their careers building lives.''
Mr. President, I want to take a couple of minutes to recognize a
teacher from my home state of Idaho who has truly spent her career
building lives. Judy Bieze teaches first grade in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
Judy got her start with a bachelor's degree in elementary education
from Illinois State University, began teaching elementary students in
1971, and hasn't stopped since. For the past 14 years, she has blessed
the children of Idaho.
She is an active member of the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics, the International Reading Association, the Panhandle
Reading Council, and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development. She is a lead teacher in her school and has received
numerous grants to do everything from providing books for parents and
children to check out and read to underwriting a district-wide
inservice training in spelling.
Somewhere amongst all of this, Judy finds time to teach some of
Idaho's children. In fact, Judy humbly reflects that her greatest
accomplishments come in 6- and 7-year-old bodies.
It is no wonder. Judy practices some techniques in her classes which
some may call innovative, while others call them back to the basics.
For instance, during the course of the year she takes time to recognize
each child in her class as the ``Special and Unique'' person and works
each day to recognize each child's accomplishments. Furthermore, she
believes that parents must be actively involved in their child's
education. From encouraging parents to be involved in classroom
activities to weekly letters home to detail what their child has been
doing in school, Judy recognizes that parents are first and foremost in
a child's education.
Judy has stated that each day she is ``rewarded by the large and
small accomplishments of the children entrusted to my care.'' Last
year, Judy's peers recognized these accomplishments and her commitment
to the education of our children by choosing Judy Bieze as the Idaho
State Teacher of the year for 1998-1999.
Judy believes that each child is a unique, unrepeatable miracle. On
behalf of the great state of Idaho, I am glad that Judy chose to come
to Idaho and work her miracles with our children. I am proud of the
work she does, and am pleased that I have the opportunity to recognize
her accomplishments today. It is my hope that other
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teachers will see what she has done, see how she cares for our
children, and strive to follow her lead. With teachers like Judy
leading the pack, I have great confidence in the future of our country.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Crapo). The Chair recognizes the Senator
from Tennessee.
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to speak as in
morning business for 6 minutes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
Mr. CONRAD. Reserving the right to object, and I will not object.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from North
Dakota.
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent we get 4
additional minutes on this side as well.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, it is expected the Senate will soon
consider a resolution that highlights the week of May 2 to 8 as
National Teacher Appreciation Week. We have had a wonderful 2 weeks in
this Nation's Capital. Last week the President signed the Ed-Flex bill
which returned much of the control--local accountability, local
flexibility--to local schools and school districts. This week we honor
our teachers.
I rise today to honor the many outstanding teachers across the Nation
and especially in my home State of Tennessee. In particular, I would
like to highlight the achievements of Ms. Delise Teague, the 1999
Tennessee Teacher of the Year, whom I had the honor to meet, as you can
see in this photo, just several weeks ago. This is Delise in the
picture.
First, I would like to cite some of the research which paints a clear
picture about the quality of a teacher being so critical to the future
of our children and their education. Tennessee is one of the few States
with data systems in place which make it possible to link teacher
performance to student achievement. Researchers have the capability of
examining the impact teachers have in terms of their effectiveness, how
well they are teaching, and what students actually learn. Data from
these studies show the least effective teachers produce gains of
approximately 14 percentile points for low-achieving students. However,
the most effective teachers produce gains that average 53 percentile
points.
The data also reveal that these effects are cumulative over time. In
fact, students with three quality teachers in a row, scored over twice
as high on math tests as those students with teachers who are less
qualified. Thus, we have anecdotal evidence and scientific evidence
that a quality teacher has a tremendous impact on students.
One such outstanding teacher is Delise Teague, shown here in this
portrait, who teaches English at McNairy Central High School in Selmer,
TN. She knows firsthand the impact a quality teacher can have on a
student. Using her words, she notes, ``I cannot take personal credit
for my success as a classroom teacher. Great teachers shared the light
with me. I am simply passing it on.''
She adds it was her first Sunday School teacher whose influence
``served to fan the flame of learning that had been sparked at home by
loving parents and an abundance of books.'' She will further tell you
that she had several teachers in the public school system who played a
key role in her own education and in her decision to pursue a career in
teaching. The teachers who motivated Delise in her education were the
ones who saw her untapped potential and challenged her. This is a
lesson that Delise applies in her own classroom. She challenges her
students and believes in their potential to succeed.
In fact, Courtney Carroll, a student at McNairy Central High School,
wrote, ``Miss Teague is loved and respected by her students because she
truly wants each person who enters her classroom to be successful.''
Delise coaches the varsity softball team and freshman basketball
team. She has served on the Technology Literacy Grant Committee, the
National Honor Society Selection Committee, and as a student teacher
supervisor/mentor. She is active in her community and takes on projects
such as distributing fruit baskets for the elderly and providing gifts
through the project Angel Tree for underprivileged children and
contributing to Saint Jude's Children's Hospital through fundraising
efforts.
She is just one wonderful example of the many dedicated teachers in
our Nation's schools. In my own past I think of June Bowen, who taught
me seventh grade English, and Mary Helen Lowry, who passed away this
year, who taught me English through high school. I am so pleased to be
able to participate in this effort to honor our Nation's teachers by
promoting National Teacher Appreciation Week.
As parents and community members, we should all take a few minutes to
celebrate this great cause for our children's future. I yield the
floor.
Mr. COVERDELL addressed the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia.
Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I thank all my colleagues honoring
National Teacher Day and Teacher Appreciation Week. I appreciate very
much the work Senator Frist has done on behalf of reform in education.
Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleagues today to recognize
May 2-8, 1999, as the 14th Annual Teacher Appreciation Week, and to
commend thousands of dedicated teachers across the nation for their
determined efforts to shape the intellect of our children.
The foundation of American freedom and democracy is a strong,
effective system of education where every child has the opportunity to
learn in a safe and nurturing environment.
America's first rate education system depends on a partnership
between parents, principals, teachers and children. The success of our
nation for much of the 20th century--is the result of the hard work and
dedication of teachers across the land.
While many people spend their lives building careers, teachers spend
their careers building lives. Our nation's teachers serve our children
beyond the call of duty as coaches, mentors, and advisors without
regard to fame or fortune. Across the land nearly 3 million men and
women experience the joys of teaching young minds the virtues of
reading, writing and arithmetic.
As part of the 14th Annual Teacher Appreciation Week, I'd like to pay
special tribute to Andrew Baumgartner of Augusta, Georgia--who was
recently named the 1999 National Teacher of the Year.
Mr. Baumgartner, who teaches kindergarten at A. Brian Merry
Elementary School in Augusta, has been a teacher for 23 years. His
motivation and source of inspiration comes in part from the belief that
it was his duty to give something back to society, and he has done so
through his teaching.
To achieve his goal of getting kids to learn, Mr. Baumgartner creates
a sense of adventure in his classroom. He has used his creativity and
imagination to bring the magic of reading and learning to the minds of
his kids.
The award, sponsored by the Council of Chief State School Officers
and Scholastic, Inc., will send Mr. Baumgartner on a promotional tour
as 1999 National Teacher of the Year, where he will share his
innovative ideas with other teachers around the nation. I wish Mr.
Baumgartner the best of luck during this tour and am confident that he
will inspire other teachers with his creativity and willingness to do
whatever it takes to get kids to learn.
In closing Mr. President, I call on all my colleagues--on both sides
of the aisle--to take a moment this week to give a special thanks to
the nearly 3 million important American men and women--like Andy--who
have contributed to the emotional and intellectual development of
children across the land.
Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise in recognition of Teacher
Appreciation Week. During this week we have a special opportunity to
thank the dedicated professionals who open our children's eyes to the
world of discovery and learning, the world that will open the door to a
brighter future for them and for all of Michigan.
Five days a week, for nine months out of every year, America's 2.7
million teachers help to mold our children's future, the future of
Michigan, and the future of America. Across Michigan and across the
United States, tomorrow's business leaders, inventors, doctors, and
even teachers are building the
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foundation of learning and experience that will shape their lives and
careers.
This week, Mr. President, Michiganites like all Americans are taking
time to pay tribute to our teachers, some of the most important people
in our children's lives. After parents and families, teachers pay the
most important role in helping our children reach their potential. No
teacher can take the place of loving and attentive families, but the
school experience plays a crucial role in shaping our children's
character.
After the tragic events in Colorado, I hope all of us will take the
time to think about the difficult job our teachers have, in these
troubled times, giving children the structure and habits as well as the
knowledge they need to become good citizens and productive adults.
I have always supported calls for better computer technology in our
classrooms. And it is true that our children need to learn to use tools
that will expand their access to information. But a qualified, highly
trained teacher remains the most important education tool in any
classroom. Today's technological innovations can help teachers capture
our children's attention and bring the world to their eyes and
fingertips. But no machine can take the place of a dedicated teacher
who genuinely cares about a child's future. With the rapid advance of
education technology, we must ensure that our teachers are trained in
the most effective educational use of this technology, and that none of
us are distracted from the basics of a good education by glittering
machines.
Unfortunately, Mr. President, there are disturbing statistics about
how well our teachers are prepared to enter the classroom. More than 25
percent of new teachers nationwide enter school without adequate
teaching skills or without training in their subject according to the
National Commission on Teaching and America's Future. One in seven
teachers has not fully met State standards.
We must do more to ensure that our teachers are fully prepared to
meet the increasing challenges of their profession. We must take
advantage of every opportunity to provide today's teachers with access
to proven training programs while simultaneously recruiting and
training qualified and dedicated young people to become tomorrow's
great educators.
Most importantly, Mr. President, we must applaud and show our
appreciation to the teachers who go that extra mile for our kids,
capturing their attention, helping them gain the knowledge and skills
they need, and providing examples of dedication and skill that should
inspire us all.
Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today to salute one of our
nation's most precious resources, our teachers and in particular New
Mexico's teacher of the year, Stan Johnston of Los Alamos High School.
I would submit, teachers are the key to America's future. Christa
McAuliffe, the teacher and astronaut put it in perfect perspective. She
said, ``I touch the future, I teach.''
Building upon her statement I would say: it is a simple fact that the
future is prejudiced in favor of those who can read, write, and do
math. A good education is a ticket to the secure economic future of the
middle class. As the earning gap between brains and brawn grows ever
larger almost no one doubts the link between education and an
individual's prospects.
And today the Senate is acknowledging those on the front lines with
our students, the unsung heroes, their teachers. Somewhere in this
great country of ours a teacher has a future leader of the United
States in his classroom. Who knows; it could be one of the students in
Stan Johnston's English and Study Skills class at Los Alamos High
School in New Mexico.
My point is simple, after parents and families, teachers play an
important role in helping our children reach their potential. After our
children leave home each morning, it becomes the responsibility of
America's almost 3 million teachers to ensure our children are prepared
for the future because in our nation's classrooms resides the future.
Hopefully, the future doctors who will find the cure for cancer,
mental illness, and heart disease are right now in our classrooms. But,
most importantly we have the next generation of our country now
attending classes throughout our schools.
In conclusion, I would like to thank you and a job well done to all
of our teachers and in particular, Stan Johnston of Los Alamos High
School. Again, thank you and please continue the superb work you are
doing on behalf of our country.
Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, of all the occupations in America, teachers
may deserve their own ``appreciation day'' the most. And, perhaps no
occupation influences the future of our country more. I am delighted to
join my colleagues today in paying tribute to those teachers all over
America who have made a real difference.
One special teacher who made a real difference in my life was Mr.
McElroy.
When I was a young boy, I played my violin in the school orchestra.
On the day of one of our most important performances, the student who
was supposed to play a solo on the bass got sick and was unable to
perform. My music director, Mr. McElroy came to me and convinced me
that, even though I had never played the bass, I could perform the
solo.
I had terrible doubts about my ability to step in and do the job. But
Mr. McElroy had confidence in me, even if I didn't. And he worked with
me and encouraged me and coached me for most of that afternoon. That
night I was able to play the solo without making a mistake.
As I think back on it, this was one experience that taught me that if
I applied myself I could meet a challenge. When, in 1976, everyone
believed I was a long-shot to win the nomination and, indeed, the
election to become Utah's senator, I should have told them about Mr.
McElroy.
I know that right now, in a classroom in Utah--maybe in the room of
Diane Crim, who teaches math at Salt Lake's Clayton Intermediate School
and is Utah's 1998 Teacher of the Year--another young student is
learning these important lessons thanks to a dedicated and caring
teacher.
Teaching is not just a job, it's a calling. It is a calling to impart
knowledge, to mete out discipline, to inspire, to motivate.
Last week, our entire nation mourned the loss of a devoted teacher,
Dave Sanders. The testimony of his students to his caring, whether in
the classroom or on the basketball court, is a tribute better than any
we here in the Senate could pay. I hope that the students he taught at
Columbine High School will go on to practice the lessons he taught and
be the kind of citizens in the community that he hoped they would be.
Mr. President, Mr. McElroy, Diane Crim, and Dave Sanders all
represent the best of the teaching profession. There are thousands of
others we could mention here today who have helped our children learn
the keys for living such as reading, math, science, and history. But,
more than that, they have helped reinforce essential values like hard
work, perseverance, team work, and integrity. I am pleased to join in
honoring these teachers today.
I yield the floor.
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I also want to comment on the National
Teacher Appreciation Week, because I think all of us can look back in
our own backgrounds and remember what a difference teachers made in our
lives.
I can remember very well the teachers who made a contribution to my
life, to my growing up: Mrs. Goplin, who taught American history and
who really shared a great love for understanding the Constitution of
the United States, always told us that this is one of the greatest
documents in human history. I will never forget those words of Mrs.
Goplin.
She was exactly right. Our Constitution is one of the greatest
documents in human history, and how lucky we are to live in a country
that has constitutional guarantees of freedom for the American people
and says to each and every American, you have certain rights, rights
that protect you from the overreach of government, because our
forefathers had known in Europe that government can become oppressive
and that government can make demands on its citizenry that are not
fair, that are not reasonable. We are so lucky to have these
protections.
I remember other teachers: My third grade teacher, Mrs. Offerdahl,
who is still alive in a nursing home in North Dakota, what a great
woman. She
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came every morning to that class with a sparkle in her eye and a love
for learning and a love for teaching. She made a difference not only in
my life but in the lives of hundreds and hundreds of students whom she
taught over a very long career in the Bismarck, ND, school system--Mrs.
Offerdahl.
And Mrs. Senzek, who was my fifth grade teacher, a highly intelligent
woman, somebody who was absolutely committed to improving the
educational standards of the kids in Bismarck, ND. My sixth grade
teacher, Miss Barbie, who was a very sophisticated woman, somebody who
loved reading and imparted that love to students.
I think back to how fortunate we were to have people of that quality
and that caring who provided education to us and at great sacrifice to
themselves. I can say every one of these women whom I have mentioned
could have made much more money doing something else, but they were
dedicated to teaching young people, and they made enormous financial
sacrifices to do it.
There are so many other teachers along the way whom I remember. Mrs.
Hook was my second grade teacher. She was a woman of real majesty,
really almost a regal person, very tall, very erect, very dignified,
somebody who commanded respect.
These are people who made an impression that has lasted a lifetime,
lasted a lifetime for me, but I know lasted a lifetime for other
students in the Bismarck public school system as well.
Mr. President, I add our words of praise to all the teachers across
this country who make a difference in the lives of kids. Other than
family members, other than parents, perhaps there is no more important
relationship than what teachers do in terms of training our kids. So,
today, we say thank you, thank you for everything you have done. You
have made a difference.
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