[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 124 (Tuesday, July 23, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H7225]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING DR. DAKEYAN CHA DRE GRAHAM AS FLORIDA'S 2020 TEACHER OF THE 
                                  YEAR

  (Mr. SPANO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. SPANO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Dakeyan Graham 
for being selected as Florida's Teacher of the Year. He was chosen out 
of more than 176,000 teachers to receive Florida's highest award for 
public educators.
  Known affectionately by his students as Dr. Dre, he has long been 
driven by music. He played the saxophone in the marching band at King 
High School; and he went on to study music education, earning a 
bachelor's degree from the University of Florida and a doctorate from 
the University of South Florida.
  He returned to King High School as an educator where he teaches his 
students music in the same room where he learned to play.
  He has worked at the school for more than a decade and now serves as 
the director of bands and instrumental studies. As part of this award, 
Dr. Graham will spend 1 year as an education ambassador where he will 
work to raise public awareness of other exceptional teachers, provide 
learning opportunities to educators, and recruit future teachers.
  Dr. Graham has dedicated his career to serving his students, and this 
award shows he sets an example not only to his students but to us all.

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