[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 202 (Friday, December 21, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1725-E1726]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING JAMES ``CHIEF'' WILSON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. VAL BUTLER DEMINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, December 21, 2018

  Mrs. DEMINGS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a legend in the 
Orlando community--the peerless James ``Chief'' Wilson.
  Mr. Wilson was father to two daughters, but a father figure for 
thousands. As band leader at Jones High School--a program he built from 
scratch into one of the finest programs in the country--he brought a 
lifetime of learning, music, and joy to his students and his community.
  Mr. Wilson was famous not only for his high expectations, but for his 
lifelong advocacy for the young men and women in his care. He helped 
them prepare for college and win scholarships. He stayed in touch with 
them for years after they graduated. Many credit him with turning their 
lives around.
  Simply put, he was a role model. He provided the guidance that only 
an incredible teacher can give. Telling his pupils that ``perfect 
practice makes perfect performance,'' he cultivated an attitude of 
excellence in his students that would last a lifetime.
  But underneath the demand for excellence and the incredible legacy 
that he built, there was also the man himself--a man whom his

[[Page E1726]]

children described as a ``kid at heart.'' A man who loved music, 
Christmas lights, and the old car which he used to give rides to 
students and take his family on road trips.
  ``Chief'' Wilson never met a stranger, and he remembered his students 
when he crossed paths with them years later. A faithful member of 
Washington Shores Presbyterian Church, a homeowner in the Washington 
Shores community for over 50 years, and a charter member of Phi Beta 
Sigma Fraternity, Inc., his roots were deep.
  He will be missed by all. But I know that his positive influence will 
live on in his students, his program, and his incredible legacy for 
years to come.

                          ____________________