[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 69 (Friday, April 27, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E558-E559]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       IN CELEBRATION OF MRS. GRACE HATCHER ADKINS' 90TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, April 27, 2018

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my 
sincerest congratulations and birthday wishes to Mrs. Grace Hatcher 
Adkins. She will celebrate her 90th birthday on Friday, May 18, 2018 at 
Westwood Schools Auditorium at 225 Fuller Street in Camilla, Georgia.
  Mrs. Adkins was born in 1928 to Mr. Clifford Edward Hatcher and Mrs. 
Agnes Faircloth Hatcher. The Newton, Georgia native began teaching in 
1946 at the age of 18, and used the valuable lessons instilled in her 
by her family to guide her students.
  Mrs. Adkins' life's work always centered on young people and helping 
them reach their full potential. She truly understood that ``Education 
is the passport to the future; it belongs to those who prepare for it 
today.'' Throughout her remarkable 58 year career, she made it her 
mission to help every child be successful. She devoted countless time 
and energy into helping and supporting her students, especially those 
with learning disabilities. In 1980, she created one of the first 
Learning Labs in the State of Georgia at Westwood Schools in Camilla. 
The impact of the Learning Lab was so profound that educators from 
across the nation inquired about her techniques, which she acknowledged 
were fueled by her immense love for teaching and her desire to reach 
every student. Westwood Schools ultimately named the Learning Lab in 
her honor.
  The poet Maya Angelou once said that, ``I've learned that you 
shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need 
to be able to throw something back.'' Grace Hatcher-Adkins threw a 
prodigious amount of care and attention back to the students that she 
loved so dearly. She inspired several of her students to become 
lawyers, doctors, educators, professionals, business owners, and 
leaders in their own communities. Her optimistic attitude, powerful 
presence, and personal interest and care for each child, no matter the 
learning level, made all of her students feel valued and respected.
  Mrs. Adkins has accomplished much in her life, but none of it would 
haye been possible without her unwavering faith in the Lord, the love 
and support of her late husband, Bill, the family she cherishes so 
dearly, and the encouragement from all of those who have positively 
impacted her life over the years.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian, and me, 
along with the more than

[[Page E559]]

730,000 residents of Georgia's Second Congressional District, in paying 
tribute to one of Southwest Georgia's finest educators, Mrs. Grace 
Hatcher Adkins, as she and her family prepare to celebrate her 90th 
birthday.

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