[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 150 (Friday, November 2, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1997]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING MS. JENNIFER RICHARDS OF VISTA, CA, FOR C0MPLETING BACK-TO-
               BACK VOYAGES AS A NOAA/NSF TEACHER AT SEA

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. RANDY ``DUKE'' CUNNINGHAM

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 1, 2001

  Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to recognize 
one of my constituents, Ms. Jennifer Richards of Vista, CA, for 
recently completing back-to-back voyages as a National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration/National Science Foundation Teacher at Sea 
(NOAA/NSF Teacher at Sea).
  The NOAA/NSF Teacher at Sea program places a school teacher on a NOAA 
research vessel to participate in the scientific research being 
conducted on board and to record their experience. Jennifer is a High 
School Earth Science Teacher at Guajome Park Academy, Vista, 
California, who recently participated in the first leg of the EPIC 
Research Cruise on the NOAA vessel, the Ronald H. Brown. She departed 
from San Diego, California on September 5, 2001, and sailed to the 
Galapagos Islands completing her cruise on October 6, 2001. She then 
stayed in the Galapagos Islands conducting research until October 11, 
2001. Throughout her cruise Jennifer provided lessons concerning her 
cruise varying in topics from longitude and latitude to signal flags. 
Jennifer also kept daily logs describing her trip to her students back 
home in Vista.
  The Teacher at Sea program receives an average of 165 applications 
for 35 voyages, which is approximately the same ratio of competitive 
grants that are funded by NOAA and NSF. Jennifer was selected from a 
competitive pool of approximately 35 elementary and secondary education 
teachers who were interested in this particular voyage. To qualify, 
Jennifer was required to complete an application which includes 2 
professional recommendations and questions regarding the applicant's 
ability to use this voyage as a teaching tool to benefit her students 
and colleagues.
  As a former teacher, I understand how tough it is to engage children 
as active participants in their lessons. Jennifer's proven creative 
ability to communicate science and research to her students was the 
reason that she was selected for this research voyage. I applaud 
Jennifer Richards for dedication to her students and her efforts to 
improve science education.

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