[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 170 (Tuesday, November 17, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2781]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


  RECOGNIZING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF MS. ANTHONETTE 
                                  PENA

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                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 17, 2009

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an 
outstanding educator and devoted mentor, Ms. Anthonette Pena. 
Anthonette teaches eighth grade science at Howell L. Watkins Middle 
School in Palm Beach Gardens, FL and is indeed among Florida's best and 
brightest. A standout among her colleagues with a passion for teaching 
and shaping educational policy, Anthonette has earned an esteemed 
Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship for a second year in 
a row.
  I.welcome Anthonette to Washington and am certain that her time at 
the office of the Division of Research on Learning in Formal and 
Informal Settings at the National Science Foundation (NSF) will be an 
enriching learning experience for all involved. Anthonette hopes to use 
this fellowship year to raise awareness about the importance of 
community organizations and government in motivating students to excel 
in science and mathematics. I laud her commitment to creating more 
scholarships for students of under-served populations so they, too, may 
benefit from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) 
opportunities.
  I. her home state of Florida, Anthonette is very active in her local 
community. In addition to securing several grants for science related 
programs, she also dedicates her time as a mentor for beginning 
teachers. Anthonette believes that employing cross-curricular lessons 
is key to developing well-rounded, critical thinkers. When she 
organized her school's first Girl Scout troop, she not only 
incorporated STEM activities, but brought learning opportunities from 
inside the classroom into the community.
  Anthonette has worked hard to earn this distinction, and exemplifies 
the possibilities that a good education offers. She earned her B.A. in 
Liberal Studies at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis 
Obispo and her M.S. in Education at Nova Southeastern University. 
Recognizing the importance of a well-balanced education in today's 
ever-shrinking world, Anthonette also studied abroad at The University 
of Valladolid in Spain, while also participating in the Japan Fulbright 
Memorial Fund Teacher program and the Toyota International Teacher 
Program in Costa Rica.
  Madam Speaker, I truly appreciate the work that Anthonette Pena and 
Florida's teachers do every single day in preparing our nation's 
leaders of tomorrow. She has long demonstrated excellence and 
dedication to teaching worthy of the Albert Einstein Distinguished 
Educator Fellowship, and I congratulate her double on this achievement.

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