[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 87 (Friday, June 13, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1240]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATIONS TO MARY SMITH, MOBILE AREA OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR OF THE 
                                  YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JO BONNER

                               of alabama

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 12, 2003

  Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and pleasure that I 
rise to honor and congratulate Mrs. Mary Smith for having recently 
received the Mobile Area Education Foundation's 2003 Outstanding 
Educator Award. She deserves our sincere and respectful 
congratulations. Her dedication and service have rightly earned her 
this prestigious award.
  Mary Smith has taught middle school science at the Clark School of 
Mathematics and Science for eleven years. She has been very interactive 
with her science students, and she always gives her time and energy to 
her students and to her school. She frequently takes her classes on 
field trips and exposes them to hands-on experiments in and out of the 
classroom. She also gives up many nights and Saturdays to coach the 
Clark Science Olympiad. Her dedication and involvement have made a 
difference in many young lives.
  One of Mrs. Smith's newest projects has been to capture the interest 
of her students with the NASA space program. ``Signatures in Space'' is 
a new government sponsored program that allows 500 different schools 
throughout the country to send their students' signatures into outer 
space with the next shuttle launch. Mary Smith was instrumental in 
procuring a spot on the signature list for the Clark School of 
Mathematics and Science. She also successfully helped a student to 
apply and get initiated into an extremely competitive national program 
allowing the student to communicate directly with the astronauts via a 
live telecast. Her devoted spirit and good-natured heart have made her 
more than deserving of this honorary award.
  Mary Smith has been a real treasure to the students and faculty of 
Clark School of Mathematics and Science. The extra effort she always 
puts forth has allowed her to touch so many young lives. She is always 
going above and beyond and it shows in the hearts of all that she has 
touched. Heroes are not just the powerful and popular figures seen on 
television. True heroes are the people that touch lives, giving their 
heart and dedication to everything they do. True heroes are the Mary 
Smiths in the world. I can think of no one better deserving of this 
award and distinction. Once again, I congratulate Mary Smith for her 
hard work, dedication, and service to her students, to her community, 
and to our great country.

                          ____________________