[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 61 (Wednesday, May 5, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E758]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IN RECOGNITION OF SHIRLEY V. EDWARDS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. NYDIA M. VELAZQUEZ

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 5, 2004

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the floor of the U.S. 
House of Representatives to recognize the achievements of Shirley V. 
Edwards, a visionary and the principal of EBC High School/Bushwick, 
Brooklyn in the 12th Congressional District.
  After 25 years of blight, Bushwick is experiencing a renaissance. 
Despite this, it continues to suffer from a high rate of unemployment 
and poverty. Shirley Edwards, armed with her education specialist 
background, knew she had a mission to fulfill. She understood that 
education was the key to breaking the cycle of poverty, and she 
dedicated herself to the creation of EBC High School for public service 
and academic excellence.
  For the last 10 years, Principal Edwards has called EBC High School/
Bushwick her home, serving as a mentor to both students and teachers 
alike. She is said to have led EBC/Bushwick down the ``road not 
taken,'' showing many in the community that it was possible to leave an 
imprint when they had lost all hope. She was instrumental in creating 
an array of innovative programs, leaving behind an important legacy 
that forms the foundation of the high school.
  Principal Edwards, among her many positive contributions, introduced 
students to the value of public service and giving back to their 
community, encouraging them to make a real difference. She witnessed 
first-hand how drugs, crime and poverty devastated lives, and she made 
it her mission to empower students and to give them a second chance at 
earning an education and forging a better path for themselves in the 
future. Principal Edwards motivated students to become enthusiastic 
lifelong learners and responsible adults. She truly changed lives--now 
over 90 percent of her graduating classes are pursuing college degrees.
  Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Shirley V. Edwards, and 
join with my colleagues in the House of Representatives to recognize 
her extraordinary work in New York City's public education system.

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