[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 74 (Tuesday, May 6, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E830-E831]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SALUTING MINNESOTA'S TEACHER OF THE YEAR, CARLEEN GULSTAD OF HOPKINS 
                         NORTH JR. HIGH SCHOOL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KEITH ELLISON

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 6, 2008

  Mr. ELLISON. Madam Speaker, today is National Teachers Day, and Mr. 
Ramstad and I want to pay tribute to all of America's dedicated, 
talented and energetic teachers who have so much influence on our 
Nation's children and our country's future. We thank them for their 
sacrifice, selfless devotion to young people and their public service.
  We want to call special attention today to one such teacher, 
Minnesota's ``Teacher of the Year,'' Carleen Gulstad. Carleen, who 
lives in Maple Grove, teaches language arts at Hopkins North Jr. High 
School in Minnetonka, which serves the families of both the 3rd and 5th 
Congressional Districts. She has been teaching 8th and 9th grade 
students in English classes at Hopkins North since 1999.
  Carleen is truly most deserving of this distinguished honor from 
Education Minnesota. The award was announced Sunday, May 4, at its 44th 
annual awards program in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.
  Madam Speaker, Carleen says that one of her guiding principles as a 
teacher is to treat each student as an individual. ``Every kid counts. 
Every kid has a story. And every kid has value,'' Carleen says. ``I 
teach them critical thinking. They need to decide for themselves.''
  That kind of approach is what makes Carleen a great teacher, and our 
Nation's outstanding teachers carry those very same traits, teachers 
who are brilliant in their ability to offer encouragement, who can 
spark the

[[Page E831]]

imagination, instill in young people the drive to reach for excellence 
in all their varied pursuits and the confidence to speak their minds.
  Carleen's principal at Hopkins North Jr. High, Pat Schmidt, says: 
``Carleen has the courage to lead discussions focusing on racial 
identity, religious affiliations, cultural and ethnic customs and 
family membership.''
  To all of America's teachers, thank you for your steadfast commitment 
to quality education. Thank you for caring so much about our kids and 
their future. Thank you for overcoming immense challenges to provide 
Minnesota's and America's children with the best education.
  You hard-working, dedicated educators are Minnesota's and America's 
unsung heroes. With great challenges ahead, we need more than ever to 
put partisanship aside, take off our Republican hats and our Democrat 
hats and come together as Americans. We must find common ground to 
adequately support public education and provide maximum flexibility at 
the local level to manage our schools and teach our children.
  Madam Speaker, our Nation salutes Carleen Gulstad and all our 
remarkable teachers who bring an exciting world of opportunity and 
justice to the door of our children's classrooms each and every day. It 
is often a thankless and difficult task, but today we thank them for 
their great perseverance, commitment and inspiration.

                          ____________________