[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 18, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H1763]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            RECOGNIZING ARTS EDUCATOR DEBORAH BOWERS KIPPLEY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Nebraska (Mr. Bacon) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Women's History Month, I rise to 
recognize Deborah Bowers Kippley for her years of dedicated public 
service in the State of Nebraska. As an arts educator, Debbie's 
leadership, skills, and initiatives have benefited the minds of our 
youth for decades.
  Debbie had a strong interest in the arts from an early age. In 1974, 
she graduated from Omaha Burke High School where she participated in 
band, orchestra, and art. She continued her education, obtaining a 
bachelor's degree in art education and elementary education from 
Hastings College.
  After college, she toured with a Christian repertory theater company 
before being hired as an elementary arts teacher for Omaha Public 
Schools. During her time with OPS, Debbie participated in several 
Nebraska art-based programs. After 13 years with OPS, she wanted to 
start the elementary art program at Papillion La Vista Community 
Schools.
  After obtaining her master of science from the University of Nebraska 
Omaha, she earned her doctorate in administration, curriculum and 
instruction from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, concentrating on 
the variation of people's ability to create mental images and the 
effect this has on learning.
  As someone who struggled with math, reading, and spelling during her 
elementary years, Debbie believes her inability to create mental images 
at that age was the cause of her struggles. Her conclusion was to 
enhance the five senses by using art in learning in her elementary 
teachings to better help students learn.
  For the last nearly 40 years, Debbie has consistently given back to 
the community. Just a few of her accolades include Elementary Educator 
of the Year, president-elect and president of the Nebraska Art Teachers 
Association, and the Nebraska Art Teachers Association Roscoe Shields 
Award for her continued service to art education. She also assisted 
with the writing and creation of hundreds of thousands of dollars in 
grant money for the arts.
  As a now-retired educator, Debbie continues to promote the arts by 
her work with the Congressional Art Competition for the Nebraska 
congressional districts, founded in 1998, and still manages the 
Papillion La Vista Arts Network, providing a theater experience for 
elementary and middle school students. Supervising art student teachers 
for the University of Nebraska Omaha is another task that she loves, 
and she is the president of the Papillion Downtown Business 
Association.
  Debbie has always believed in the power of the arts to heal, 
encourage, and empower. This has been her mantra for all her years of 
educating young minds.
  I salute and thank Debbie for her impression upon the community, a 
tremendous impact, which will be felt for many years to come.

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