[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 175 (Monday, November 14, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1142-E1143]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING LINDA CITCHENS DOWNING

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 14, 2022

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a 
remarkable hero, Mrs. Linda Citchens Downing.
  Linda Citchens Downing is the daughter of the late Mary Alice 
Catchings-Broom and Eulis Broom, Sr. Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, 
she grew up the middle child of 11 siblings. Her mother, being the sole 
provider for her large family, instilled in her the qualities of 
discipline, hard work, and dedication to duty. Determined to set her 
children up for a better life, Mary worked at the Coco-Cola Bottling 
Company and cleaned homes on Saturday to provide for them. What the 
family lacked in material possessions, they made up for in love and 
faith. Although Mary only had an 8th grade education, she wanted to 
insure her children had more access to education than she had.
  After graduating high school, Linda yearned for just that goal. At 
the time, her goal was to become a lawyer who provided legal 
representation for the underserved; however, that course was not to be. 
With little money and lacking the type of support necessary for law 
school, she would find an alternate route to achieving her goal of 
helping people, and that was via education. Her older sisters had 
graduated from college and become teachers, and Linda decided to follow 
suit.
  She attended Coahoma Junior College, now Coahoma Community College, 
where she served as Miss Coahoma Junior College in 1978 to 1979. In 
March of 1979, she got married, and in May of that same year, she 
graduated with high honor from CJC. A year later, she had her first 
child. Being a wife, mother, and attending college was difficult for a 
20-year-old, so Linda decided to quit Delta State University when she 
became pregnant with her second daughter. She pressed on, though, 
enrolling at Mississippi Valley State University soon afterwards. Not 
having transportation, she commuted with one of the professors, often 
taking her baby to class with her.
  When one of her professors told her she wouldn't be able to finish 
her degree with two babies, Linda became even more resolved to get the 
job done and achieve her overarching goals of service and support to 
the community. Her second daughter was born in December of 1981; by 
December of 1982, she had completed her Bachelor's Degree, Cum Laude. 
She began her teaching career at Oakhurst Elementary School, and in the 
following years, she taught the gamut of elementary education, all 
while inspiring and motivating her students to think bigger and to 
desire more. She enrolled in graduate school at Delta State, receiving 
a Master's Degree in Elementary Education. Shortly thereafter, she 
moved up to lead teacher. Another stint at Delta State produced a 
Master's degree in counseling, after which she was hired as a middle 
school counselor, performing in that capacity for 7 years. Conrad 
Hilton said, ``Success seems to be connected with action. Successful 
people keep moving.'' And that's what Linda did. She returned to school 
to study administration, and to that end, she was hired as an 
elementary school principal. When that proved successful, she was 
promoted to middle school principal.
  She served as principal of Oakhurst Middle School for 7 years. During 
her tenure, she changed the culture of the school in academics and 
athletics and brought it to successful status. Linda implemented 
numerous incentives such as Teacher of the Year (the teacher with the 
most improved scores in standardized tests would receive $500 paid by 
the principal); Most Improved of Teacher (the most improved teacher 
would receive $250 paid by the principal; as well as financial 
incentives (donated by stakeholders) for students scoring proficient 
and advanced on state tests, and in the process, increased parental and 
community support by 75 percent. As a result of her achievement as a 
principal, in 2010, Linda was hired as the Secondary Curriculum 
Director of the Clarksdale Public School District. In 2016, Linda 
earned a Specialist degree in administration and supervision from 
Arkansas State University. Finally, after 32 years of being guided by 
the principles her mother imparted in her, she retired.
  Linda only remained out of education for a year, returning because of 
her love and respect for her vocation and the positive effects of her 
actions on the world around her. Currently, she serves as the Chief 
Academic Office of the Quitman County School District, where she works 
full time on a part-time salary. Despite this, she has a hand in almost 
all aspects of education in the district: from site visits to new 
teacher training, to the organization of large-scale events on the 
district's behalf. She does what she does because of love; she loves 
the students, the teachers, the parents, and she is committed to 
education.
  At the age of 8, Linda stated cooking for her younger brothers and 
sisters. This inspired a lifelong love of cooking and baking. As part 
owner of 7Sisters Catering, she regular donates her food and services 
to church, school,

[[Page E1143]]

and community events. She has received the Epsilon Xi Lambda Chapter of 
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Delta Leadership Award; the NAACP 
Mother of the Year Award; The Women in the Community Award; and serves 
as youth minister at the church she attends. Linda has been married to 
Roy Downing for 22 years, and together they have 4 daughters and 3 
grandchildren. The proverb that says, if you want to give a job to 
somebody, give it to someone that already has a lot to do is a model 
for Linda's life--but she does and has always gotten the job done.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. 
Linda Citchens Downing for she is the epitome of an unsung hero.

                          ____________________