[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 170 (Wednesday, September 29, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6775-S6776]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO PATRICK COLLINS

  Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, I recognize Patrick Collins, a pillar of 
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School in Miami, FL, for his 50-year 
commitment to the edification of thousands of young men in the 
community. Throughout his tenure, Mr. Collins served as a teacher, 
chair of the social studies department, founder and moderator of Close 
Up and Founding of a Nation, tennis coach, and cofounder of the 
overseas study program.
  Mr. Collins' decades of service shaped numerous generations of 
students and are evidenced by his students' testimonies. From his 
students, one can learn how Mr. Collins complemented their civic 
education with the values of citizenship, patriotism, responsibility, 
and leadership. Ultimately, his passion and love for his country has 
created a legacy that has positively impacted the Miami community, 
State of Florida, and country at large through the moral compass that 
he worked to instill in every single one of his students.
  I admire Mr. Collins' virtuous character and am grateful for the 
fruit of his work. I look forward to continuing to learn of the impact 
that his students have on our communities and know that he serves as an 
exceptional example to educators across the country.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that an article from the Miami 
Herald dated September 23, 2021, about Patrick Collins be printed in 
the Record.
  The material follows:

 For 50 Years, Belen Educator Has Given Flight to Students' Passion to 
                                 Serve

                          (By Rafael A. Yaniz)

       Patrick Collins, a beloved and influential educator at 
     Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, will be honored on Sept. 25. 
     Belen Jesuit Preparatory School
       ``Before you stand up, you must know the first word that is 
     coming out of your mouth.'' This was the first piece of 
     advice that Patrick Collins--Belen Jesuit Preparatory 
     School's social studies department chair and 11th-grade U.S. 
     government teacher--gave me.
       Decades later, I think of his advice whenever I am about to 
     speak in any formal setting.
       And I am not alone in remembering him and his guidance, for 
     which, after five decades, he will be honored at Belen on 
     Saturday, and most deservedly so.
       ``All prayers in the world can be condensed into two 
     words,'' he told me. ``Thank you''
       ``I've tried to instill in students a sense of gratitude to 
     say Thank you, when they walk through Arlington National 
     Cemetery, through the halls of Congress, through their 
     cities, to find a niche in their lives to do something that 
     benefits another citizen. That way, we can continue on to the 
     betterment of ourselves and our country.''
       Collins' career has had a lifelong impact on generations of 
     Belen Jesuit students during the course of his 50 years at 
     Miami's storied all-male prep school, who have applied his 
     lessons to make our community and our country better.
       ``In my era, we were rambunctious,'' said Jose Cil, CEO of 
     Restaurant Brands International, the parent company of Burger 
     King, ``but he set a really high bar and drove us to excel--
     even if you weren't an excellent student.''
       Collins' passion for teaching beyond the textbook inspired 
     him to succeed.
       Former U.S. Congressman Joe Garcia agreed. ``Mr. Collins' 
     addition to Jesuit pedagogy is the insight that being a `man 
     for others' requires you to engage in the broader society 
     without cynicism--without hatred--but always with an openness 
     to engage in critical thought,'' Garcia said. ``In the ideal 
     republic, he is the ideal citizen.''
       Carlos Trujillo, former U.S. ambassador to the Organization 
     of American States, said, ``The impact Mr. Collins has had as 
     a U.S. government teacher producing government servants, very 
     few teachers across the country have had that kind of impact 
     in their careers.''
       ``To this day, I still apply the lessons I learned from 
     Coach Collins inside and outside of the classroom,'' said 
     Cesar Conde, chairman of NBCUniversal News Group, who played 
     tennis under Collins' coaching.
       ``I first began to understand the importance of a free 
     press and the role of great journalism in our democracy while 
     studying in his government classes. And, during a Close Up 
     Foundation trip to Washington, D.C. that he led, I was 
     directly exposed to the federal government, which inspired me 
     to apply to the White House Fellows Program years later.'' 
     Conde subsequently served under then-Secretary of State Colin 
     Powell.
       ``He taught me to dream big and then work hard to achieve 
     those ambitions,'' explained Mr. Conde.
       Eddy Acevedo, chief of staff and senior advisor to the CEO 
     of the Wilson Center, astutely observed, ``Anyone who grows 
     up in Miami thinks about getting involved in politics, in 
     government, in public service.''
       Former U.S. Congressman Carlos Curbelo was one of those 
     students with an innate desire to serve.
       ``He provided us with a thorough understanding of what 
     government is and how it works, the way the system is 
     designed to impede the passage of legislation, and what 
     people have to do to overcome those challenges.''

[[Page S6776]]

       Garcia, who lost to Curbelo, added, ``Mr. Collins teaches a 
     realistic understanding of the political process, but he 
     provides the inspiration to make working through that 
     difficult process an act of service for society's most 
     vulnerable members.''
       That sentiment was not lost on Manny Diaz, chair of the 
     Florida Democratic Party.
       ``Mr. Collins asked us on the first day of class if we knew 
     what our rights were if we found ourselves on a country road 
     in Alabama and a big sheriff arrested us because we looked 
     Hispanic. I wanted to know the answer to his question.''
       Collins' influence led Javi Correoso, Uber's public affairs 
     senior manager, to pursue his passions.
       ``He instills in you that the meaning and purpose of public 
     service is not the shining moments like running for office or 
     photo ops, it's about rolling up your sleeves and helping 
     citizens get a response from their government,'' Correoso 
     said.
       He also credits Collins for connecting him with former U.S. 
     Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. ``It was the middle of football 
     season, and I needed the 10 points extra credit wiggle room 
     in my grade that semester.'' He was able to snag those extra 
     credits by volunteering in her campaign office.
       ``I couldn't tell you what political party he belongs to,'' 
     Ros-Lehtinen said of Collins, ``but he belongs to the 
     fellowship of man. We need to clone him. He's always been a 
     voice of reason and commonsense in my life.''
       Collins is clear about what drives him: ``I'm influenced by 
     the experience of my great grandfather. He was an Irish 
     immigrant who struggled, through perseverance and grace, he 
     was able to succeed,'' he said. ``I'm a beneficiary of that 
     generation of Irish Americans who feels it would be selfish 
     to solely benefit from the opportunities in this country. I 
     feel like I owe it to him and to my family that the notion of 
     civic responsibility continues to those I have met through 
     the Cuban immigration experience that is Belen Jesuit.''
       Rafael A. Yaniz is a Belen Alumnus and an attorney and 
     political analyst based in Miami.
       Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/op-ed/
article254479452.html#storylink=cpy

                          ____________________