[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 57 (Thursday, April 29, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S4723]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CAROL LEE GHO'S SELECTION TO THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ON INDIAN 
                               EDUCATION

  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I appreciate the indulgence for a few 
minutes to say a few quick words about a fellow Alaskan.
  It will come as no surprise to anyone in this body that I have 
expressed some concerns about the feasibility of implementing the No 
Child Left Behind legislation in the remote villages of rural Alaska. 
Descendants of the first peoples of Alaska, Eskimos, Indians and 
Aleuts, make up most of the inhabitants of these villages.
  Last year, I brought Secretary Paige to rural Alaska so that he could 
fully comprehend the challenges of educating children in the villages. 
It is clear to me, and I believe it became clear to the Secretary, that 
our national education policy must be informed by the experiences of 
parents, teachers, and school administrators on the ground if it is to 
be effective. The Secretary must not only know what is going on in the 
classrooms of our largest cities but also in the farthest corners of 
our Nation. When it comes to educating our children, one size does not 
fit all, and nobody knows this better than an experienced classroom 
teacher.
  I was pleased to learn that President Bush has selected an exemplary 
Alaska classroom teacher to work with Secretary Paige in the 
improvement of educational opportunities for American Indian and Alaska 
native students. I am speaking of Carol Lee Gho, of Fairbanks, AK, who 
will soon join the National Advisory Council on Indian Education.
  Carol was raised in the rural Alaska villages of Lake Minchumina and 
Manley Hot Springs. Her mother was Inupiaq Eskimo from the village of 
Wainwright. After graduating from Brigham Young University with a major 
in mathematics, she began her teaching career at the junior high school 
level in California, Utah and Arizona.
  In 1984, 11 years after leaving the classroom to raise a family, 
Carol resumed her teaching duties in the Fairbanks North Star Borough 
School District. She taught in the Fairbanks district continuously 
until her retirement in June 2003.
  Carol loved teaching and she is fondly remembered for her work as a 
math teacher at Lathrop High School. However, she also takes great 
pride in the 3 years she taught at Howard Luke Academy, an alternative 
high school. During those 3 years, the performance of her students in 
mathematics improved dramatically.
  Carol has been actively involved with the Association of Interior 
Native Educators. She served on their Board of Directors for over 7 
years and was President from 1999 until 2002. She has also been a 
leader of the Fairbanks Native Association and has served as an advisor 
to the Alaska Department of Education.
  Carol dreamed that after retirement she would have an opportunity to 
focus more of her attention on making classroom curriculum relevant to 
Native students. I am gratified that the President has made it possible 
for Carol to fulfill this desire. As a member of the National Advisory 
Council on Indian Education, Carol will have an opportunity to 
influence the quality of education enjoyed by American Indian and 
Alaska Native students for generations to come.
  I wish Carol great success in her new role and look forward to 
working closely with her on matters of education policy in the coming 
years.
  I yield the floor.

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