[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 41 (Tuesday, April 4, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Page S2797]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO ROBERT CLEVERLY

 Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and recognize 
a man who has dedicated his life to education, Mr. Robert Cleverly. Bob 
was responsible for establishing the Close-up Foundation program at 
Ennis High School and has been involved in the program for over 20 
years. During those years he has also been instrumental in establishing 
the Close-up program in numerous Montana schools. Bob was chosen by the 
Close-up Foundation in 1996 and 1997 and awarded the Linda Myers Chozen 
Award for Teaching Excellence in Civic Education. This award honors 
teachers and administrators who have demonstrated outstanding 
leadership, innovation, and commitment to the foundation's citizenship 
mission. In addition to his Close-up advocacy, Bob was a history 
teacher at Ennis High School for 38 years and is credited with 
organizing the first aid and CPR program. Bob was active in the 
school's extra curricular activities as a very successful football 
coach, taking several teams to statewide level competition and winning 
two State championships. As a result of his coaching abilities and team 
organization skills, Bob was inducted into the Montana Coaches Hall of 
Fame.
  Education is crucial to the future of America, and it is teachers 
like Bob who make education their priority, devoting their life to the 
future of our youth. Bob has been taking students to Washington, DC, 
for over 20 years with the Close-up program, giving students of Montana 
a firsthand view on how our Federal Government works, while 
experiencing the history our Nation's Capital has to offer. At great 
loss to Montana's high school students, this will be Bob's last year in 
the Close-up program, but thanks to his hard work, many Montana 
students for years to come will be able to explore our Nation's Capital 
through the Close-up program. I personally thank Bob and acknowledge 
his dedication, for he has gone above and beyond his civic duty.
  We are proud as well as fortunate to have educators like Bob Cleverly 
in Montana, who are willing to dedicate their lives to educate and 
prepare our children for the future.

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