[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 26 (Thursday, February 17, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E256]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING STEPHANIE THETFORD AS THE 2011 OKALOOSA COUNTY TEACHER OF 
                                THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 17, 2011

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mrs. 
Stephanie Thetford as the 2011 Okaloosa County Teacher of the Year. For 
17 years Mrs. Thetford has been an inspiration to her students, 
motivating them to realize their true potential and achieve excellence, 
and I am honored to recognize her achievements.
  Mrs. Thetford is a proud product of the Okaloosa County, Florida, 
school system. She is a graduate of Crestview High School, and her 
passion for serving the students of Northwest Florida led her to pursue 
a teaching career in Okaloosa County.
  Mrs. Thetford has spent the past 11 years teaching at Fort Walton 
Beach High School, where she has taught numerous math courses. She has 
had the opportunity to teach students at all levels, including Algebra 
IA, Algebra IB, Geometry, Math Analysis and Informal Geometry. For the 
past six years she has also had the opportunity to teach students at 
the highest levels, serving as the teacher for AP Calculus AB and BC. 
When she took over the class, there were 25 students enrolled in the AP 
Calculus curriculum. Today, through her hard work and dedication, there 
are 62 students enrolled in these courses.
  Quantity, however, is hollow without quality results. Mrs. Thetford 
has delivered these results year after year. Last year, 66 of her 
students took the AP Calculus AB exam, with 60 of these students 
receiving a passing score. She also had 6 students take the AP Calculus 
BC exam; all of these students passed the test, and five out of six 
received the highest possible score.
  Mrs. Thetford realizes that the key to achieving success is hard work 
and dedication. She offers daily tutoring before school, starting at 6 
a.m., to ensure that students are prepared to achieve their goals. Mrs. 
Thetford takes every possible measure to identify any problems or 
confusion that students may have, and she is always available to her 
students to answer questions and help them work through their 
difficulties so that they are not left behind when a new concept is 
introduced.
  Her dedication to the students of Okaloosa County does not end when 
school is on summer break. In the summer, she has conducted county-wide 
math in-service training for Pre-Algebra, Algebra, and Algebra II 
teachers, where she teaches methods to integrate technology to help 
students who are struggling with these mathematical concepts. This 
ensures that the primary level math classes help build the foundational 
skills necessary to succeed in upper-level courses. She serves as the 
Vertical Team Trainer for Okaloosa County and as an AP Calculus mentor 
for other Calculus teachers in the county, ensuring that other schools 
can replicate the success of her students in Advanced Placement 
courses.
  Great teachers are an invaluable asset to our nation's students. To 
be honored as Teacher of the Year is an immense honor, and it is a 
reflection of her indefatigable dedication to the students of Okaloosa 
County. She has proven herself to be among the many exceptional 
teachers in our nation, and I am proud to have her as a constituent in 
Florida's First Congressional District.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am privileged 
to recognize Stephanie Thetford for her accomplishments and her 
continuing commitment to excellence at Fort Walton Beach High School 
and in the Okaloosa County School District. Her passion for her 
students is laudable, and her dedication to her profession is 
exemplary. My wife Vicki joins me in congratulating Mrs. Thetford, and 
we wish her all the best.

                          ____________________