[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 87 (Tuesday, June 22, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1202]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E1202]]
                      TRIBUTE TO KATHERINE CORBETT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 22, 2004

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of Katherine Corbett in 
recognition of her dedication to educating our children and improving 
the quality of our educational system as well as her spiritual 
leadership in her community.
  Katherine Corbett is a native of Brooklyn, New York who has been 
married to a seventh grade friend Eddie Corbett for 34 years. She is 
the mother of four children; Kandice, Eddie Jr., Inez, and Frank. She 
is the grandmother of Diondre, Keilah, Joshua, and Sheraya.
  Katherine is honored to be the principal of the Ronald Edmonds 
Learning Center-Middle School 113 in Brooklyn. During her 12 years as 
the educational leader, MS 113, she has earned numerous awards, grants 
and citations. Of her many outstanding achievements, the school remains 
the only middle school in the United States that has met the criteria 
to be a National Alliance of Black School Educators Demonstration 
school since the program began in 1997. In 1998, MS 113 was one of six 
schools in the United States, out of 54,000, to be designated by the 
United States Secretary of Education to be a Title One Distinguished 
School. In the same year, Katherine was recognized by the New York 
State Department of Education as a Title One Distinguished Educator. 
Yale University awarded Katherine with the Patrick Daly Award for 
Excellence in educational leadership.
  In addition to her service to Middle School 113, Katherine has served 
the New York State Department of Education and Harvard University as a 
mentor for principals and low performing schools. In December 2000, 
Katherine was recruited to serve as one of the members of the 
Distinguished Faculty for New York City Department of Education's 
Principals Institute. Throughout the 2002-2003 school year, Katherine 
served as a mentoring principal for New Leaders for New Schools, a 
national graduate program for aspiring educational leaders.
  In addition to her work in the educational community, Katherine 
serves as the senior pastor of New Life Ministries in West Hempstead, 
New York. The church serves the community with a number of programs 
that are designed to build the spirit and soul. Katherine is most 
grateful to be called, appointed, and chosen to serve humanity as she 
serves her God.
  Mr. Speaker, Katherine Corbett has committed herself to educating our 
children through her work as a principal and as a mentor to other 
educators. She has also served her community through her work as a 
pastor. As such, he is more than worthy of receiving our recognition 
today and I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring this truly 
remarkable person.

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