[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 43 (Thursday, March 13, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E384]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN RECOGNITION OF DELIA P. SANCHEZ IN HONOR OF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

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                           HON. KATHY CASTOR

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 13, 2008

  Ms. CASTOR. Madam Speaker, in recognition of Women's History Month, I 
rise today to honor Delia P. Sanchez, a champion for children in 
Florida. Ms. Sanchez is a wonderful example of the power of women to 
shape future generations and make a difference in their communities.
  Ms. Sanchez is a lifelong learner. She obtained her bachelor's degree 
from Florida State University in social work with minors in education 
and spanish in 1945 and went on to get her master's in social work at 
Columbia University in 1947. Until 1991, nearly 50 years later, she 
took graduate level courses in areas such as pupil personnel services, 
education, and rehabilitation.
  All the while, Ms. Sanchez was affecting enormous change in lives of 
hundreds of children in the Tampa Bay area. One of the greatest 
services that Delia Sanchez provided to the Tampa community was to work 
with Congressman Sam Gibbons to bring the first Head Start program to 
Hillsborough County. She began her career as a child welfare worker for 
the Florida State Welfare Board. From there Ms. Sanchez went on to work 
for the School Board of Hillsborough County as a school social worker 
and a case work consultant, working her way up the ranks to eventually 
serve as the administrative supervisor for Head Start for 9 years. 
Then, in the last 3 years of her career, she went into private practice 
to counsel troubled children.
  Throughout her career and in her retirement, Ms. Sanchez has served 
as a board member or local representative to a number of community 
organizations. The list is too large to mention them all, but they 
range from the University of South Florida's Latin Community Advisory 
Committee, the Citizen's Advisory Council, the Child Abuse Council, the 
Ybor City Museum Society, to the National Association of Social 
Workers.
  For all of her hard work for the education and welfare of children, 
countless organizations have recognized her. Ms. Sanchez is the 
recipient of the U.S. State Department Fellowship Award, the American 
Red Cross Service Award twice, the Mayor's Brotherhood/Sisterhood 
Award, the USF Social Work Alumni Society Award for Outstanding 
Community Service, the Channel 8 WFLA Volunteer of the Year Award, the 
Commemoration Committee Award for Dedicated Community Service, the 
Retired Social Worker Outstanding Achievement Award, the St. John 
Presbyterian Early Childhood Hand Print Award, the Ybor City Museum 
Society Pizzo Award to preserve Tampa's Latin heritage, the 
Hillsborough County Martin Luther King, Jr. Award, the Louis De La 
Parte Mental Health Advisory Council Award, and the National Head Start 
Association Lifetime Achievement Award.
  And, if all of that wasn't enough, she is also a member of Sigma 
Delta Pi Spanish Honor Society, was named Social Worker of the Year by 
the National Association of Social Workers by the Tampa Bay Unit and 
then again by the Florida Chapter, received an honorary Doctorate from 
the University of South Florida School of Social Work, and in 1993 she 
was Hispanic Woman of the Year.
  Madam Speaker, Delia P. Sanchez is a woman of the highest regard who 
has dedicated her life to helping others. I am proud to call her my 
neighbor, and I join many others to applaud her lifetime contribution 
to the Tampa Bay community.

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