[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 99 (Tuesday, July 25, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1517]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IN RECOGNITION OF DR. PETE G. MEHAS

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 25, 2006

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Pete G. Mehas, 
Fresno County Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Mehas is retiring at the 
end of his current term and his unwavering commitment to students and 
education will be missed, but never forgotten.
  Like many others, I consider myself fortunate to count Pete Mehas as 
a friend and advisor. His life's work embodies the very basic values--
hard work, respect for people and family--that make it possible for a 
person to have a profound influence on others.
  Pete Mehas was born, raised and educated in Fresno, California. 
Growing up he worked during the 40s and 50s for his father at the 
Fresno Malt Shop and the Athenian Restaurant. At age 19 Pete hitchhiked 
around the world on a personal odyssey of discovery and cultural 
exploration. Over the years, the call of family and his pride of 
heritage have drawn him back to his ancestral homeland, the magnificent 
Greek Islands. But Pete Mehas has always come back to the Central 
Valley where he spent his professional career advancing education on 
many fronts, in classrooms, boardrooms and the legislative halls of 
Sacramento and our nation's capitol.
  During his career, Pete has been a teacher, a coach, a school 
principal, an associate district superintendent and a legislative 
advocate. His efforts on behalf of education have been driven by his 
often-stated belief that, ``Children are the living message we send to 
a time we will not see.'' His personal objective has always been to 
serve as a model of high values, coupled with strong character and love 
of country and to hopefully pass those standards on to the next 
generation.
  Pete has never let his success go to his head. In fact, to this day 
he continues to visit classrooms to read to young students and 
encourage them to succeed. His utter lack of pretense has been a 
hallmark of his career and made it possible for him to inspire others 
and bring people together.
  Elected four times to the position of Fresno County Superintendent of 
Schools, Pete Mehas' well-documented career dedication to education has 
been recognized many times by others. He has participated in 
Presidential Education Summits on education, served as an education 
policy advisor to three California governors and held leadership 
positions in numerous education organizations and associations. Pete's 
many honors include being the first recipient in 1990 of the Fresno 
Public Education Fund's Gold Star Alumni Award. And his leadership has 
been praised by organizations as varied as the California Farm Bureau 
Federation and the National Congress of Parents and Teachers.
  Beyond the honors that have come his way as his professional success 
multiplied over the years, Pete Mehas has always been devoted to his 
family. His mother Sylvia, his wife Demi, sisters Tula and Georgia and 
his daughters Alethea and Andreanna have enriched his life as only 
family can.
  And though Pete Mehas has talked with world leaders, Presidents, 
Governors and business leaders, I know nothing compares to the loving 
sound he hears from his twin granddaughters, Andreanna and Isabella, 
when they whisper ``pappou'', Greek for ``grandpa'', in his ear.
  Though he will soon retire as Fresno County Superintendent of 
Schools, there can be no uncertainty that Pete Mehas will continue to 
make a valuable contribution to his community, state and nation. Pete's 
future efforts will, I am sure, be reflective of his personal 
philosophy which is summed up so well in the words of his favorite 
songwriter, Jimmy Buffet, when he sings, ``Yesterdays are over my 
shoulder, so I can't look back for too long. There's just too much to 
see waiting in front of me, and I know that I just can't go wrong.''

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