[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 71 (Thursday, May 1, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E802]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING MRS. DAWN O'CONNOR RECIPIENT OF THE 2008 PRESIDENTIAL 
                AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE TEACHING

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                         HON. MICHAEL M. HONDA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 1, 2008

  Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, as a former teacher, school principal, and 
school board member I am proud to rise today to congratulate Mrs. Dawn 
O'Connor for receiving the 2008 Presidential Award for Excellence in 
Science Teaching. Since 1983, the Presidential Awards for Excellence in 
Mathematics and Science Teaching have honored outstanding kindergarten 
through 12th grade mathematics or science teachers for their 
contributions in the classroom and to their profession. On behalf of 
the people of California's 15th District, I am honored to recognize one 
of our own as a recipient of the Presidential Award, the highest 
recognition that a teacher can receive--Mrs. O'Connor teaches Seventh 
Grade Biology at Ascencion Solorsano Middle School in the Gilroy 
Unified School District.
  Ascencion Solorsano's students are fortunate to have Mrs. O'Connor 
serve as chair of the Science Department, coach of the Cross Country 
team, and advisor of the school's MESA program. After graduating from 
California State University, Humboldt with a B.S. in Biology Mrs. 
O'Connor completed her multiple subjects credential program at my alma 
mater, San Jose State University.
  Mrs. O'Connor received the 2007 Horace Lucich Award for Outstanding 
Teachers by the Synopsys science fair and the California State Science 
Fair Teacher of the Year Award. She was a Summer Institute Fellow at 
Stanford University's Center for Probing the Nanoparticle and also 
participated in the Summer Leadership Institute hosted by the National 
Science Education Leadership Association.
  During Mrs. O'Connor's tenure year at Ascencion Solorsano she has 
helped to expand a traditional science fair into a five-month inquiry-
based project involving 98% of the students in the activities of a 
practicing scientist--problem identification, hypotheses generation, 
experimental design, experimentation, writing and presenting 
conclusions. Her inclusion of cross-curricular skills is indeed 
commendable. Through her encouragement students have performed 
exceptionally in the Silicon Valley science fair competition and gone 
on to attain awards at the State level competitions. According to Mrs. 
O'Connor ``It is also my goal to produce a population of capable 
problem solvers,'' a goal I share, one that is crucial to ensuring our 
Nation's competiveness in the 21st century global economy.
  Mrs. O'Connor represents the spirit of innovation that is the core of 
my District, the Silicon Valley and the State of California, and she is 
dedicated to inspiring and engaging students in science through 
inquiry. I congratulate her and her colleagues and students for this 
distinguished achievement.

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