[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 37 (Monday, February 27, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E149]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE GROUNDBREAKING CAREER AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF CARRIE OWENS

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                          HON. ELISSA SLOTKIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, February 27, 2023

  Ms. SLOTKIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of an extraordinary 
educator who shaped the lives of thousands of mid-Michigan students 
during her groundbreaking career.
  Carrie Owens grew up in Florida during the time of segregation and 
high racial tensions, and she knew from an early age she wanted to work 
toward dismantling the systems she saw all around her. Though her 
parents had no formal education, they pushed their kids to have what 
they had not, and a young Carrie thrived in school. She eventually 
became a teacher and was hired by Okemos Public Schools in 1964, 
becoming the first Black teacher in the district.
  It's said that when Mrs. Owens first interviewed for a job at Cornell 
Elementary School in Okemos, she vowed to help each student 
individually, because she recognized what many even in education 
circles did not yet grasp--that all students learn at different paces 
and in different ways. Just as she thrived in school, Owens did 
everything to ensure her students did the same, and she was put in 
charge of a transitional class of elementary students, who up until 
that point had had limited success in school. Owens made sure each of 
her students progressed to grade level, and empowered them to 
understand how they learned.
  Word of her tireless dedication to student success and her innovative 
teaching philosophy spread quickly, and many families moved to Okemos 
just so their children could be in her class.
  By the time she retired from teaching in 2001, she had touched 
thousands of young lives and helped change the face of education in the 
community. Not only did her hiring pave the way for other teachers of 
color, by the end of career Okemos had its first Black superintendent, 
and the district was overall a more diverse, inclusive community.
  As we mark Black History Month, I salute Carrie Owens, who is Black 
history in Okemos. This trailblazing teacher has left her mark on the 
hearts and minds of the entire community, and we are so much better for 
her service. May her lessons live on in all the students she touched, 
and in all the lives she changed.

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