[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 66 (Wednesday, May 24, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E959]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IN RECOGNITION OF KEN STEWART

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DAVID E. PRICE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 24, 2006

  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ken 
Stewart, recipient of the 2005 National Language Teacher of the Year 
Award, which is given by the American Council on the Teaching of 
Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Ken is the very first teacher ever to 
receive this award.
  Senor Stewart, as he is known by his students, has taught Spanish at 
Chapel Hill High School for nearly 20 years. A National Board Certified 
Spanish teacher, he has been successful in sharing his passion for 
language learning in the classroom because of his foreign language 
teaching philosophy, education, and extensive travel experience.
  As the ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year, Senor Stewart 
competed for this award with five other regional winners from across 
the country. His award dossier included video segments demonstrating 
his skill as a classroom teacher and documentation of his teaching 
practices, as well as testimonials from his students, their parents, 
and his school administrators. This award, sponsored by ACTFL and 
publisher McDougal Littell, was created to recognize foreign language 
teachers at the K-12 level who exhibit excellence in classroom language 
teaching. As part of this honor, Senor Stewart is now involved in 
serving as a spokesperson for language educators and making appearances 
and giving presentations that promote language education through the 
``Discover Languages'' national public awareness campaign.
  The shortage of qualified language professionals across the United 
States underscores the importance of Senor Stewart's work: only 9 
percent of students enrolled in college study a foreign language. We 
need to introduce language study at an earlier age and do more to 
encourage pursuing real proficiency.
  Foreign language needs have significantly increased due to the 
presence of a wider range of security threats, the emergence of new 
nation states, and the globalization of the United States economy. 
Outstanding teachers who instill critical skills of language competence 
and cultural understanding in our students are indeed worthy of 
recognition and gratitude.
  I call on my colleagues to seek out the 2006 Language Teacher of the 
Year in their own states and to encourage that teacher as he or she 
competes this year at the regional and national levels. It is important 
that we support these educators who do so much to provide our students 
with the foreign language skills and cultural understanding that are 
essential to a world class education and that will prepare them for 
living and working in the 21st century.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in commending Senor Stewart for his 
years of dedicated service and his commitment to foreign language 
instruction.

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