[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 173 (Friday, December 2, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1575]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING MARTA I. BOOKBINDER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, December 2, 2016

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Marta I. Bookbinder, an 
outstanding educator, communicator and counselor, who is retiring after 
17 years as the Collaborative Projects Coordinator of the adult and 
youth programs at the Community Learning Center in South San Francisco.
  Marta is the last original founding member of the Community Learning 
Center which opened doors to countless preschool to adult learners. CLC 
is a program of the South San Francisco Public Library in the heart of 
the historic downtown area, easily accessible to the great number of 
immigrants from around the world. The center is an irreplaceable gem of 
the community and a perfect reflection of the values Marta has embraced 
her entire life and career.
  In close partnership with the school district, CLC offers English and 
computer classes and Spanish language literacy tutoring for adults and 
homework help classes for elementary school students from the 
surrounding schools. Adults learn to maneuver education, health, 
transportation, employment, financial and voting systems, giving them 
the tools to help themselves and to make progress.
  Having completed her own education in the U.S. and Latin America, 
Marta was perfectly positioned to become a global educator. She holds 
an M.A. in Counseling Psychology, a B.A. in International Relations, an 
A.A. in English and Psychology and a teaching credential for English as 
a Second Language, Citizenship and Conversational Spanish. She is 
fluent in English and Spanish and competent in Italian.
  Marta began her career as a program assistant at the job placement 
and career center at Skyline College in 1989. She moved on to the 
College of Notre Dame as a staff assistant in 1993 and to the Family 
Council of Half Moon Bay as the director of parent services in 1997. 
While she held that position, she also became an adult education 
instructor at the Cabrillo Unified School District. From there she 
moved on to the San Mateo Union High School District in 1998, and to 
the South San Francisco Unified School District in 1999, teaching adult 
education. She will continue her work as an instructor and CBET 
coordinator of adult education at the South San Francisco Unified 
School District.
  Marta never ceases to develop innovative ideas to improve the lives 
of others, a fact noted in the community. She has received numerous 
awards including the Employee of the Year and the Mayors Diversity 
awards from the city of South San Francisco, the San Mateo County 
Governing Board Association KENT Award for innovation in educational 
programs, the Julie Billiart Alumna Award for outstanding community 
service from Notre Dame de Namur University, and the KQED & Kaiser 
Permanente Bay Area Local Hero Award.
  In her well-deserved retirement, Marta is looking forward to spending 
more time with her husband of 45 years, David N. Bookbinder, and their 
two daughters, Tamara and Tatiana.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the members of the House of Representatives to 
join me in honoring a friend and colleague, Marta Bookbinder, for 
creating empowering programs at the Community Learning Center that have 
turned hundreds of lives around. She is a role model for teachers in 
South San Francisco and beyond.

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