[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 134 (Wednesday, October 6, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2052]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CELEBRATING THE SUCCESS OF EMILY COLE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GENE GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 6, 1999

  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute 
to Emily Cole, principal of Jefferson Davis High School in Houston, 
Texas. Ms. Cole has been principal of Jefferson Davis High School for 
the last 11 years and has been an educator for 34 years. As a Jeff 
Davis graduate, I am especially proud to join in paying tribute to her.
  Emily Cole earned a BA and M.Ed from Southwest Texas State University 
in San Marcos. Ms. Cole was the first in her family to earn a college 
degree. Education has always been a major part of her life. She has 
worked as a teacher in several elementary schools in Texas, as the 
associate director of the Teacher Corps at the University of Houston, 
and as an assistant principal and principal in Houston public schools.
  Ms. Cole has spent her career working tirelessly on behalf of all 
children. She has always promoted what was best for school children, 
never forgetting that their best interest was her driving force.
  During her tenure at Jefferson Davis High School, Emily Cole has made 
many improvements. The number of seniors receiving scholarships has 
increased, TAAS scores have risen, the dropout rate has decreased and 
the number of graduates has grown.
  In addition, Ms. Cole has used Project GRAD (Graduation Really 
Achieves Dreams) to increase the number of college-bound students at 
Jefferson Davis High School. Project GRAD was started 10 years ago by 
Jim Ketelsen, former Tenneco chief executive officer, as a scholarship 
program. It now provides a comprehensive college-preparatory curriculum 
to students beginning in the elementary grades. Before the program was 
started at Jefferson Davis High School, only 20 graduates per year went 
to college. In 1998, 110 Davis graduates enrolled in college.
  American historian and writer Henry Adams once stated that ``a 
teacher affects eternity; he can never tell when his influence stops.'' 
For Emily Cole, the lives she has touched over her many years in the 
education field will ensure that her influence carries on far into the 
future.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the career of one of 
Texas' education heroes as principal of Jefferson Davis High School. 
Ms. Cole, we wish you well.

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