[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 192 (Wednesday, December 14, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2250]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING MS. HORTENSE BRICE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOBBY L. RUSH

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 14, 2011

  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Ms. Hortense 
Brice, a dedicated teacher from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. We 
can all agree, Mr. Speaker, that one of the greatest services a citizen 
can offer our nation is dedicating their lives to teaching the next 
generation. Passing wisdom, knowledge, and inspiration is the greatest 
gift in one of the most honorable professions.
  It is in that tradition, Mr. Speaker, that Hortense Brice has 
dedicated her life for the last forty one years. A life dedicated not 
only to the education of others but to her personal education as well. 
She worked hard not only for her Bachelor of Science Degree from 
Illinois State University but also for her Master's Degree in 
Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Illinois at Chicago. 
After her Master's degree she trained for 36 hours in Science Education 
at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
  For most people, graduating from college marks the end of their 
academic careers and the beginning of their financial ones. For 
Hortense however this was not the case. Her drive for knowledge pushed 
her to enroll in further workshops, conferences, and graduate-level 
courses in a number of scientific fields and at many respected 
institutions of higher learning. She did this not just for a love of 
learning but also, so that when teaching her pupils, she would be able 
to pass on an expertise and deep seated knowledge that they would not 
be subject to otherwise. This is exactly what she did when she created 
the first biotechnology curriculum in the Chicago Public School system.
  To teach is to lead. Hortense Brice has embodied, and still embodies, 
such a principle. She created the first Biotechnology Center of 
Excellence at Lindblom Math and Science Academy, supporting 
professional development for Chicago Public School teachers. The belief 
that it is just as important to teach the next generation of teachers 
as it is the next generation of pupils was at the foundation of 
Hortense's work. She arranged for high school teachers from the Chicago 
Public Schools to enroll in a 2-year biotechnology training course at 
the University of Illinois, and secured a grant from the National 
Science Association that helped provide further training for more high 
school educators.
  While doing all of this Hortense Brice still taught elements of 
biotechnology at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, and the first 
full-year biotechnology course at Lindblom Math and Science Academy in 
Chicago, Illinois. She taught by example and her hard work ethic inside 
and outside the classroom served as an inspiration to pupils and 
colleagues alike.
  With her experience and education she had a unique insight into what 
the education curriculum lacked and what it needed. For example, in 
2006 after noticing a gap in the curriculum she worked with the After 
School Matters program to develop a successful pharmaceutical drug 
curriculum for high schools pupils.
  Even with her retirement in June 2009 Hortense still continues to 
attend science training programs, including a five-day biotechnology 
immersion program held by the Biotechnology institute at the BIO 
International Convention. Though her teaching career is over her 
pursuit of knowledge will never be. It is this love of knowledge that 
has made her such an inspirational teacher and educational advocate. It 
is why she was recognized as an outstanding educator, researcher and 
trainer for the next generation of young scientists by the iBio 
Institute, who gave her the Knowledge Builder Award for grades 6-12. It 
is the very same reason why I am speaking about her today.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly believe that to be ignorant is to be left in 
the darkness, the only thing that can conquer such darkness is the 
light of education. Hortense Brice embodies such a light.
  It is for that reason that I rise today to recognize Hortense Brice 
for her dedication to the teaching of advanced science in high school 
students in the Chicago Public Schools and to congratulate her on her 
retirement.

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