[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 25, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E63-E64]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING BROOKE CURTIS AS IOWAN OF THE WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CYNTHIA AXNE

                                of iowa

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 25, 2022

  Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize Lewis Central's 
3rd-grade teacher Brooke Curtis as Iowan of the Week.
  Inspired by the teachers she had growing up in Griswold, Brooke 
always wanted to teach. After graduating high school, she attended the 
University of Iowa and got her

[[Page E64]]

master's from Concordia in early education. She began teaching a unique 
program to the Council Bluffs school district known as Transitional 
Kindergarten, or T-K as she calls it.
  Transitional Kindergarten is an amazing program that accepts 4 years 
and older who might not be ready for kindergarten. T-K is a wonderful 
opportunity to give children structured learning and development before 
entering kindergarten. Brooke says for many parents, they face a 
difficult choice when they have a child who isn't quite ready for 
school. As a T-K teacher, she worked with our youngest students to 
prepare them with the social, emotional, and educational skills.
  Teaching T-K is how Brooke met Stacey Kuehn, who nominated Brooke to 
be Iowan of the week. Stacey was in the Harley-Davidson showroom, ready 
to buy her retirement motorcycle when her phone rang--she needed to 
become the caregiver of her two granddaughters.
  Brooke met Stacey and her granddaughters when they enrolled in her 
class. Brooke told Stacey she could call her and that Brooke would do 
anything to help. She kept that promise. Brooke began helping out with 
childcare and offering support, and helping these two girls grow. And 
that's why I wanted to honor Brooke Curtis as Iowan of the Week.
  Even though Brooke assures us that all her fellow teachers and school 
administrators would do the same, I know that Brooke puts everything 
into being a teacher and helping her kids. ``Teachers are givers,'' she 
said, ``and while I know we can't pour from an empty cup, sometimes I 
still try.'' She means there are days, especially over the last year, 
where she gives everything she has to her students. It was hard on her, 
and her family.
  Brooke and her fellow teachers in the Council Bluff school district 
have been teaching A&B schedules during the pandemic, where half their 
students were online and half in the classroom. ``It's not a skill I 
wanted to learn,'' she joked.
  It has never been harder to be a teacher than right now. That is why 
I am proud to support legislation that invests in teacher retention, 
teacher mental health, more funding for our schools, and supporting our 
K-12 families. Teachers like Brooke should remind us all that investing 
in our teachers is really an investment in our children.
  Madam Speaker, Brooke's dedication to her students and commitment to 
teaching future educators ensures our kids in Iowa are in excellent 
hands. It is my honor to name Brooke my Iowan of the Week.

                          ____________________