[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 123 (Tuesday, September 21, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1906]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      MODEL TEACHER: CHARLOTTE RAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ERNIE FLETCHER

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 21, 1999

  Mr. FLETCHER. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Committee on Education 
and the Workforce, I have heard hours of testimony on the failure of 
our nation's public education system. Far too often, we fail to 
recognize the success stories, and the thousands of men and women that 
dedicate their lives to the education of our children. Next to parents, 
I believe the most important factor in whether or not a child succeeds 
academically is the quality of the teacher in the classroom. With that 
in mind, today I rise in recognition of a model teacher from Lexington, 
Kentucky--the kind of teacher that every child in Kentucky, and across 
the nation, deserves to have standing in front of the chalkboard.
  Fayette County Public Schools recently honored Charlotte Ray as high 
school teacher of the year. During her twenty-seven years as a ninth 
grade chemistry and physics teacher, she has touched the lives of 
hundreds of children by showing them that there is much more to science 
than what can be found in a textbook. With an energy level that rivals 
her students, Mrs. Ray uses the entire school as her laboratory and 
through hands-on experimentation teaches students that learning can be 
both interesting and fun.
  Mrs. Ray is also a teacher that enjoys her job. In her acceptance 
speech, she said, ``My family encouraged me at the end of last year to 
think about retiring. Perhaps they were optimistic for better meals, or 
for ironed shirts. I'm not a very good cook and I sure don't want to 
iron. I'm still having a great time in the classroom.'' Her enthusiasm 
is contagious, so contagious that she was nominated not by her 
principal, or a group of her peers, but by the parent of a former 
student. She has also benefited from the school system in which she 
serves. A product of Kentucky public education, she graduated from 
Bryan Station High School in Lexington, and went on to receive a 
Bachelor's Degree from Eastern Kentucky University, followed by a 
Master's Degree from the University of Kentucky.
  As the students and faculty of Lafayette High School celebrate 
Charlotte Ray's award, I would like to commend her on this achievement, 
and encourage all of us to look to her as an example of one of 
education's brightest stars.

                          ____________________