[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 54 (Thursday, April 26, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E642]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO TRACY YOUNG COOPER

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 26, 2001

  Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mrs. Tracy 
Young Cooper, a teacher at C.A. Johnson High School in Columbia, South 
Carolina. Ms. Young was recently named South Carolina's ``Teacher of 
the Year.''
  A 29-year-old Columbia native, Mrs. Cooper is a product of Richland 
School District I schools where her parents were well known educators. 
She earned a bachelor's degree in English hoping to one day work in 
broadcast journalism. After attending graduate school, she instead 
chose to follow in the footsteps of her parents, Mary and Bobby Young 
of Columbia, and pursue a teaching career. She has been teaching for 
four years.
  Mrs. Cooper, the first African-American to win South Carolina's 
teaching award in 11 years and the fourth since 1969, initially taught 
English and reading, and is currently a curriculum-resource teacher. In 
that position, she aids her principal with administrative duties, but 
spends most of her time working with colleagues, including serving as a 
mentor to first-year teachers.
  Mrs. Cooper is a graduate of Columbia High School and earned her 
bachelors degree in English from Georgetown University in Washington, 
D.C. She holds a master's of arts in teaching from the University of 
South Carolina and is working toward her doctorate degree in education 
at my alma mater, South Carolina State University.
  Mrs. Cooper is truly an ambassador for education. Last year, she 
spent 3 weeks in Japan as a participant in the prestigious Fulbright 
Memorial Teacher Fund Program, which works to bridge the cultural gap 
between the U.S. and Japan. I commend Mrs. Cooper and wish her the best 
as she continues to promote the teaching profession and expand her 
efforts to improve the quality of life of South Carolina's children. 
Mr. Speaker, please join me and my colleagues in congratulating Mrs. 
Tracy Young Cooper as South Carolina's 2001 ``Teacher of the Year.''

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