[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 170 (Monday, October 28, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1351-E1352]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING MELISSA ``MISTY'' GRANDEL, 2020 MISSOURI TEACHER OF THE 
                                  YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BILLY LONG

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 28, 2019

  Mr. LONG. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Melissa ``Misty'' 
Grandel for being named the 2020 Missouri Teacher of the Year.
  If there is one thing people know about Misty, it's that she is a 
Missourian through and through. Generations of her family, including 
Misty, grew up in rural Webster County near the town of Fordland, 
Missouri. She attended Fordland High School and went on to study 
English at Drury University. After a few years into her teaching 
career, she was asked to teach at Fordland High School where she has 
been teaching for 21 years.
  Misty knows the importance of education in a rural community. The 
Fordland School District serves 550 students, and over half of them 
qualify for free and reduced-price meals. Despite this statistic, 97 
percent of students graduate on time, and 61 percent go on to attend 
college. This would not be possible without teachers like Misty who are 
passionate about their students and their community.
  Misty doesn't just put in her time and go home. She goes above and 
beyond for the children of Fordland High School. Along with teaching 
six courses, she also sponsors after school and extracurricular 
activities including the Beta Club. Through her work with the Beta 
Club, she shares her passion for giving back to the community with her 
students.
  Every day, Misty walks into her classroom not just to teach, but to 
instill lifelong values into the children of Fordland High School. She 
goes above and beyond for the children she teaches and the community 
she serves. She is well-deserving of this achievement, and we are proud 
to have her represent Missouri in the National Teacher of the Year 
program.

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