[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 118 (Friday, July 31, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2117-E2118]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CONGRATULATING THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE HOUSE FELLOWS PROGRAM

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                          HON. JOHN B. LARSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 30, 2009

  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 
congratulate the participants of the House Fellows Program. The House 
Fellows Program, run by the Office of the House Historian, is a unique 
opportunity for a select group of secondary education American history 
and government teachers to experience firsthand the inner-workings of 
Congress. These educators have demonstrated excellence in the 
classroom, are dedicated to educating our Nation's youth and are truly 
deserving of our recognition.
  One of the goals of the House Fellows Program is to develop 
curriculum on the history and practice of the House for use in schools. 
During the program, fellows prepare a brief lesson plan on a 
congressional topic of their choosing, which is then shared with the 
other fellows. These plans will become part of a larger teaching 
resource database on the House. During the school year following their 
participation in the House Fellows Program, each Fellow is responsible 
for presenting his or her experience and lesson plans to at least one 
in-service institute for teachers of history and government.
  Since the House Fellows Program began in 2006, 63 teachers from 
across the country have participated in this innovative program, with 
12 more enrolled for this summer. With plans to select a teacher from 
every congressional district over the next several years, the

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House Fellows Program will impact thousands of high school teachers and 
their students and will energize thousands of students to become 
informed and active citizens.
  As a former U.S. history teacher, I believe strongly in the 
importance of civic education. We must continue our efforts to get our 
youth involved in the political process in districts across the 
country. Educating teachers about the ``People's House'' is one of the 
best ways to do that. I congratulate the following educators who are 
participating in the 7th session of the House Fellows Program:
  Ms. Rachel Snell (Camp, MI-4); Mr. Ronald Hailey (McDermott, WA-7); 
Ms. Rosemary Quirk (Neal, MA-2); Ms. Jennifer S. Venable (Barton, TX-
6); Ms. Cheryl Anderson and Mr. David Martin (Lewis, GA-5); Ms. La-
Shanda West (Ros-Lehtinen, FL-18); Ms. Rhonda Rush and Ms. Jessica 
Newman (Bachus, AL-6); Mr. Michael Feldman (Castle, DE-AL); Mr. Don 
Woods (Hall, TX-4); Mr. George Blackledge (Taylor, MS-4).
  Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in thanking the 
Office of the Historian for sponsoring this program. Thanks to Dr. 
Robert Remini and Dr. Fred Beuttler for their outstanding leadership, 
and Dr. Thomas Rushford, Dr. Charles Flanagan, Mr. Dave Veenstra, Mr. 
Anthony Wallis and Mr. Benjamin Hayes for providing the crucial staff 
support. Thank you also to the Office of the Historian interns: Mr. 
Maurice Robinson, Mr. Parker Williams, Ms. Kaitlin Utz and Ms. Debbie 
Kobrin.

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