[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 87 (Wednesday, May 19, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2776-S2777]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO JULIANA URTUBEY

   Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I rise to recognize Juliana 
Urtubey, an outstanding Nevada educator and the 2021 National Teacher 
of the Year.
  Each year, the Council of Chief State School Officers honors one 
incredible educator as the National Teacher of the Year. This honor is 
the most prestigious recognition for teachers in the country, and I am 
proud to honor Ms. Urtubey's achievement today. Juliana Urtubey is the 
first Latina Teacher of the Year candidate from the State of Nevada, 
the first Latina national finalist since 1992, and the first Nevada 
Teacher of the Year awardee in the history of the program. In addition, 
Ms. Urtubey is only the third special educator to receive this amazing 
honor.
  Ms. Urtubey has been an educator for 11 years and teaches at Kermit 
R. Booker, Sr. Innovative Elementary School in Las Vegas, NV. There, 
she serves as a special education co-teacher for the prekindergarten 
through fifth grade levels and as an instructional strategist in 
developing supports to meet students' differing academic, social-
emotional, and behavioral needs.
  Ms. Urtubey is also a national board certified teacher and holds a 
bachelor's degree in bilingual elementary education and a master's 
degree in special bilingual education. Through her impressive teaching 
career, Juliana Urtubey has also held the role of board of directors 
member and teaching fellow with the National Board for Professional 
Teaching Standards, senior policy fellow with Nevada Teach Plus, and 
teacher fellow with the organization Understood.
  In the classroom, Ms. Urtubey is also known as Ms. Earth for her work 
in unifying the community through murals and gardens in local schools. 
In this pursuit, Ms. Urtubey played a significant role in fundraising 
for garden programs at two Las Vegas schools.
  I ask my colleagues to join in me celebrating this achievement. Ms. 
Urtubey's work in the classroom and

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for our students is an example to all of us who wish to improve the 
lives of others and better our communities.

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