[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 127 (Monday, September 8, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1350]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   -IN RECOGNITION OF STEVE K. OSHITA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 8, 2014

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Steve K. Oshita--
affectionately called Mr. O--who retired after 37 years of teaching 
math and science at Crocker Middle School in Hillsborough, California. 
Mr. O is no ordinary math and science teacher because his students 
learn about life and leadership.
  He starts out his new classes by announcing that ``respect is the 
very first thing we will learn in this class.'' That is followed by his 
instruction that ``body language is everything, students. If you are 
sitting up, you are ready to learn; if you slouch, you are not!''
  Every student in his class sits up straight and is ready to learn. 
The respect is mutual. Mr. O is one of the most thoughtful and 
dedicated educators I have met. He gained the deepest respect of my two 
children whom he taught math, science and invaluable lessons for life. 
They remember him as personable, resolute, with a wonderful sense of 
humor and the gift of creating a great environment for learning.
  In the Hillsborough community, Mr. O is known as one of the most 
beloved teachers at Crocker. Alumni often return just to visit with 
him. For one year he served as the Vice Principal, but that took too 
much time away from the classroom and he went back to teaching only.
  Steve Oshita was born in San Francisco, California. His parents 
wanted him to become a dentist and he started his education at UC 
Berkeley in pre-medical technology, but his calling was science and he 
earned his degree in Biology and Entomology, the study of insects. He 
then earned his teaching credential at San Francisco State University 
and has been teaching ever since.
  Not surprisingly, Mr. O married another Hillsborough teacher, Robyn 
Chamness. They met in 1986, married in 1995 and have two lovely 
children, Reid and Renee.
  Mr. O loves to dress up at school events. A fan of Motown music, 
Saturday Night Fever and Miami Vice he has been spotted as John 
Travolta and Don Johnson. He is also an enthusiastic sports fan and 
enjoys SCUBA diving, basketball, tennis--religiously every Sunday--and 
the Giants.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to 
honor Steve Oshita, a model educator who has inspired hundreds of 
children and set them on a path to lifelong learning and success.

                          ____________________