[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 53 (Thursday, April 15, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       CELEBRATING MARGARET GANDY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KATHY CASTOR

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 15, 2010

  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 
life and philanthropic contributions of Margaret Gandy, and to 
acknowledge the pride in the legacy she left with the Tampa Bay 
community. Her guidance and encouragement to students proved 
instrumental in improving the lives of thousands of families.
  Born in Orlando, Ms. Gandy graduated from Florida State University 
with a bachelor's degree in recreation education and a master's degree 
in religious education from Duke University's Divinity School. After 
serving as a religious education director in North Carolina and Girl 
Scouts executive director in Volusia County, Ms. Gandy and her husband, 
Bill, settled in south Tampa in 1973.
  As her two children went through school, Ms. Gandy volunteered her 
time in the school clinics and served on various PTA committees. When 
they began attending Plant High School in 1980, she devoted her time to 
helping high school seniors navigate the college admissions and 
financial aid process and organized her first college night. Her 
passion for helping students get into college compelled Plant High 
School to create a full-time position for her in 1986, the first of its 
kind in Hillsborough County, as the school's college guidance resource 
specialist. Over the years, she created a model for coaching students 
through the application process, which is now used in high schools 
throughout Florida. In 2002, the Tampa Rotary Club gave her its 
outstanding educator award for her work with students.
  After 18 years of dedicated service, she retired in 2003. In her 
tenure, she helped approximately 6,000 students, including a member of 
my staff, to apply and gain admittance into higher education. She had a 
gift for matching students with schools that fit their personality and 
interests. In her last year, Plant High School seniors received $10 
million in scholarships. Even after retirement, she continued to share 
her knowledge and strategies for college admissions by creating an 
online consulting company to help students find the perfect college 
match, regardless of a family's budget.
  The philanthropic contributions of Margaret Gandy have unquestionably 
improved the lives of thousands of Floridians on the path to higher 
education.
  The Tampa community honors the life of Margaret Gandy, her husband 
Bill, son Lee and daughter Marcia, and the entire Gandy family for 
their outstanding contributions to the Florida families. Margaret 
Gandy's life serves as an inspiration to all who knew her, and will 
continue to impact the lives of Floridians in the future.

                          ____________________