[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 108 (Wednesday, September 6, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1632]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   PAYING TRIBUTE TO ROBERT A. GERYE

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                           HON. JON C. PORTER

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 6, 2006

  Mr. PORTER. Speaker, I rise today to honor Robert A. Gerye for his 
tireless work to enhance the educational experience of the children of 
Clark County.
  Bob Gerye has been an educator for nearly 30 years. He received his 
bachelors degree in English education from Washburn University in 
Topeka, Kansas, and his graduate and post-graduate degrees from the 
University of Kansas. He taught English on the college level for 
several years in Kansas before becoming a secondary education 
administrator.
  Mr. Gerye moved to Las Vegas in 1992. He was the founding principal 
of the Las Vegas Academy of International Studies, Performing and 
Visual Arts, which opened in 1993. The Las Vegas Academy was the first 
academic, dedicated magnet school in the Clark County School District. 
Mr. Gerye developed and implemented an innovative curriculum which 
offered students the opportunity to select a major area of study from 
one of the academy's seven programs and take classes in a college-style 
block format. During Mr. Gerye's tenure as principal, the Las Vegas 
Academy was recognized on several occasions at both the State and the 
national level. In November 2000, the U.S. Department of Education 
honored the academy as a ``New American High School,'' recognizing it 
as one of the top high schools in the United States. In October 2002, 
the academy was again honored by the U.S. Department of Education when 
it was named a ``Blue Ribbon School.'' In March 2003, the Las Vegas 
Academy received the Governor's Arts Awards in Education from the State 
of Nevada in recognition of its outstanding arts education programs.
  As a result of his many successes as an educator, Bob has received 
numerous accolades. In 1998, Bob received the Community Achievement 
Award in Education from the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce for his work 
at the Las Vegas Academy. In 2000, the Clark County School District 
inducted Bob into the Excellence in Education Hall of Fame. In 2004, he 
was named the Nevada High School Principal of the Year by the National 
Association of Secondary Schools Principals and was a finalist for the 
National Principal of the Year Award. Mr. Gerye has also received the 
Jeffrey Lawrence Lifetime Achievement Award for Arts Education, and the 
Washburn University Alumni Fellows Award for Lifetime Achievement in 
Education.
  In 2003, Bob was selected by the Clark County School District to plan 
and implement the first Smaller Learning Communities/Career Academy 
comprehensive high school in the District. As a result of Bob Gerye's 
strong leadership and his commitment to excellence in education, Spring 
Valley High School has demonstrated overwhelming success in overcoming 
many of the challenges faced by a brand new school with a brand new 
educational structure.
  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Robert A. Gerye for his 
contributions to education. He has dedicated his career to improving 
the quality and the availability of education. His enthusiastic and 
innovative approach has helped his students reach heights of 
achievement. Bob Gerye has made a profound difference in our community 
and we are most fortunate to have such a gifted educator and 
administrator in the Clark County School District. I applaud his many 
successes and I wish him the very best as he continues to serve the 
cause of education.

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