[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 31 (Friday, February 26, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E232]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING MRS. STEPHANIE DUFFY AS THE 2016 SANTA ROSA COUNTY, 
                      FLORIDA, TEACHER OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, February 26, 2016

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Mrs. 
Stephanie Duffy as the 2016 Santa Rosa County Teacher of the Year. For 
more than two decades, Mrs. Duffy has served the students of Gulf 
Breeze High School and Santa Rosa County with exceptional enthusiasm, 
an infectious positive attitude, and an unwavering commitment to 
academic excellence.
  In Northwest Florida, we are blessed with an abundance of world-class 
educators and schools, as evidenced by the many schools in the Florida 
Panhandle that consistently receive the highest possible ratings each 
year from the State of Florida. Gulf Breeze High School is one of many 
exceptional schools in Northwest Florida, and for over 21 years, Mrs. 
Duffy has been integral to the success of Gulf Breeze High students, 
working tirelessly to fulfill the school's lofty motto to ``Expect 
Excellence.''
  As a math teacher, Mrs. Duffy provides rigorous math instruction to 
hundreds of students each year in a wide-range of vital math subjects. 
Whether she is teaching Pre-Algebra, Algebra I Credit Recovery, Algebra 
I, Algebra II, Informal Geometry, Geometry, Geometry Honors, Analytic 
Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, or Math Analysis, Mrs. Duffy's 
assiduous work ethic and warm demeanor combine to create a learning 
environment where her students are simultaneously challenged and 
supported. By expecting excellence, and providing a positive 
environment for students to engage with important math subjects, Mrs. 
Duffy motivates her students to attain their educational goals and 
develop the math skills that our Nation needs in tomorrow's leaders.
  While there is no question that Mrs. Duffy is an exceptional teacher 
in the classroom, she also goes the extra mile to ensure that her 
students are successful in both their academic and extracurricular 
endeavors, helping to build well-rounded students that will become 
future civic leaders. Mrs. Duffy is known for providing free tutoring 
sessions to any student that is looking for a little extra help to 
achieve their goals, or looking to excel beyond the curriculum. By 
making herself available both before and after school, Mrs. Duffy 
ensures that all the students who want additional instruction have an 
opportunity for extra learning. Mrs. Duffy also sponsors myriad 
extracurricular activities to give students a chance to grow and gain 
valuable life skills. As the sponsor of study body classes, the 
National Honor Society, the Optimist Club, and the Geometry Team, Mrs. 
Duffy demonstrates a constant commitment to her students, school, and 
the entire Northwest Florida community.
  The importance of teachers is unquantifiable, and each and every 
teacher should be commended for their commitment to our Nation's 
future. Throughout her career as a teacher, Mrs. Duffy has shown time 
and again that she understands the important position that teachers 
serve as role models for their students, and her incontrovertible 
commitment to professionalism extends beyond the boundaries of her 
classroom. Her success and the success of her students speaks for 
itself; however, her selection as Santa Rosa County Teacher of the 
Year, chosen from a large pool of extremely qualified applicants, is 
further reflection of Mrs. Duffy's tremendous work ethic and steadfast 
dedication to the students of Northwest Florida. She has proven 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 Mrs. Stephanie Duffy for her accomplishments and her 
continuing commitment to excellence at Gulf Breeze High School and in 
the Santa Rosa County School District. My wife Vicki joins me in 
congratulating Mrs. Duffy, and we wish her all the best for continued 
success.

                          ____________________