[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 69 (Friday, May 24, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E900]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             VIRGINIA A. SLOAN: TEACHING THE JOY OF READING

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                          HON. JAMES A. BARCIA

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 22, 2002

  Mr. BARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Virginia A. ``Ginny'' 
Sloan upon the occasion of her retirement after 31 years as an 
educator, all of them for the Oscoda Area Schools. Ginny deserves high 
praise for her devotion to teaching and her passion for ensuring every 
student left her classroom equipped with more than just the basic 
reading skills necessary for a productive life.
  Ginny has always recognized the importance of reading as the one 
educational skill upon which all other learning is based. Throughout 
her tenure, she continuously sought to improve the methodology and the 
mechanisms for teaching reading. She was instrumental in establishing 
and developing the school district's ``Right to Read Program,'' and its 
``Secondary In-Service Reading Program.'' Ginny also was a driving 
force in curriculum development for the district, most notably her work 
on a committee that reviewed Language Arts texts and materials for 
elementary grades.
  Ginny's pioneering efforts and innovations were vital to implementing 
a suitable curriculum as the backbone of Oscoda's excellent school 
system. So many of the hours and effort put forth by Ginny took place 
long after the work day had ended. It is difficult to fully grasp the 
commitment of time and energy made by dedicated teachers such as Ginny 
Sloan, but their families understand. Ginny would be the first to 
acknowledge that the accommodations made by her husband, Jim, and their 
family, played an important role in her success.
  Achieving success in the teaching profession often comes without much 
recognition or reward. In Ginny's case, she has earned an ``Excellence 
in Education'' certificate from the Oscoda Area Schools Board of 
Education and was recognized for 8th Grade achievements on the Michigan 
Educational Assessment Program test. However, those awards serve as 
only a small measure of her value as a school teacher. The true 
yardstick of her success is the gift of learning she bestowed upon her 
students, something that can never be taken away from them.
  Finally, Mr. Speaker, I wish to pay tribute to Ginny for all that she 
has done for students, teachers and the entire community. Top-notch 
educators like Ginny Sloan are all too rare. I ask my colleagues to 
join me in congratulating Ginny Sloan for a job well-done and in 
wishing her a successful and enjoyable retirement.

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