[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 73 (Tuesday, May 3, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E453]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. NANETTE DIAZ BARRAGAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 3, 2022

  Ms. BARRAGAN. Madam Speaker, in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, I 
want to commend and honor the extraordinary teachers in California's 
44th Congressional District and across the United States.
  Teacher Appreciation Week is an annual celebration of educators and 
the remarkable contributions they make in the lives of our students, 
parents, schools, and communities.
  During the COVID-19 pandemic, our Nation's teachers innovated the 
education system to create new ways to connect and care for their 
students during times of uncertainty during both remote and in-person 
learning.
  And our teachers have done all of this while they care for themselves 
and their own families.
  Despite these challenges, teachers across the country continue to 
show up day after day to inspire, empower, and motivate their students.
  I'd like to highlight two of my district's extraordinary teachers: 
Audrey Casas and Youko Amemiya and share a bit more about some of their 
accomplishments.
  Audrey Casas is a passionate, brilliant, and community-focused Teach 
for America teacher in Los Angeles. During the pandemic she noticed 
some of her students and their families struggled to secure basic 
necessities, which led her to start working in the community to gather 
resources. Her success led to a nonprofit that she now runs in addition 
to her job teaching. She is passionate about student led practices and 
integrates many student-led projects into her teaching. Audrey's 
classroom is a safe space for kids and is often packed at lunchtime 
with her students including the ones she doesn't teach, to take part in 
``lunch club.'' Some days the kids just hangout while they eat their 
personal lunches, and other days kids and their families will bring 
food to share. She constantly celebrates her students and fellow staff, 
from teachers to custodians to administrators, and is a known light on 
her campus, in her community, and in Lynwood. She was selected as 
Teacher of the Month by her students and her efforts were recognized by 
her school, district, and other regional news publications.
  Youko Amemiya is an enthusiastic and accomplished teacher in the City 
of Carson, who is dedicated to her students, her school, and her 
community. She has instilled a vision of climate awareness at her 
school site with the development of her school's Roots and Shoots Club. 
At the beginning of the year, she wanted to teach her students about 
caring for the environment by planting 100 trees throughout the 
community in honor of the school's 100-year anniversary. Her students 
and community rallied behind her and helped to plant over 200 trees. 
Mrs. Amemiya is also committed to helping beautify her school. Through 
her tireless work reaching out to community partners and applying to 
grants, she was able to secure planters, benches, trees, soil, and 
various plants to make her school shine. She has been a positive 
influence on her classroom, her Roots and Shoots Club students, and the 
larger Carson community.
  These are just two of the teachers in my district who make a profound 
impact on their students.
  Teacher Appreciation Week is a time to celebrate the contributions of 
educators.
  It's also a time to call for the policies and practices that will 
attract exceptional leaders to the teaching profession and support them 
throughout their career.
  We must break down the barriers that prevent individuals from 
pursuing teaching careers and make concerted efforts to retain talented 
and effective teachers.
  We need to create the conditions which allow teachers to grow, lead, 
and truly thrive in their profession.
  And, in many instances--it means paying them higher salaries. We 
cannot prioritize our students, without prioritizing our teachers.
  So, on this occasion of Teacher Appreciation Week, to the teachers in 
my district, I thank them for leading with ingenuity, resilience, and 
passion each and every day in their classrooms, and for their 
commitment to our students.

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