[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 109 (Thursday, June 22, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E601]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE RECIPIENTS OF THE ENGLISH EMPOWERMENT CENTER'S 61ST 
                          RECOGNITION CEREMONY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 22, 2023

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the newly renamed 
English Empowerment Center (EEC), previously known as the Literacy 
Council of Northern Virginia (LCNV) and to congratulate the volunteers, 
instructors, students, community partners, and many others who will be 
recognized at the 61st EEC Recognition Ceremony.
  The mission of EEC is to teach adults the basic skills of reading, 
writing, speaking, and understanding English in order to empower them 
to participate more fully and confidently in their communities and in 
society as a whole. EEC serves low-literacy and limited English 
language proficient adults with a selection of low-cost, moderately 
intensive courses to help them transition into the workforce or other 
educational opportunities.
  EEC provides the crucial first steps of language and literacy 
proficiency for workplace, citizenship, and community integration to 
help adults make measurable improvements in their lives. This past 
year, they have served over 1,900 ESL students hailing from 95 
different countries and natively speaking 50 different languages. It is 
evident EEC is making measurable improvements in the lives of the 
adults it serves.
  Each year EEC recognizes students and members of the community who 
have contributed their time, energy, and resources to achieving the 
organization's mission. EEC will also recognize the recipient of the 
Patricia M. Donnelly Merit Scholarship. It is my great honor to include 
in the Record the following names of the 2023 EEC honorees and 
scholarship recipient:
  Community Partners: Accenture, The Lorton Community Action Center 
(LCAC), Paul M. Angell Family Foundation.
  Student Essay Readers: Reojin Ko, Martha Molina, Rose Nguyen.
  Volunteers of the Year: Stan Citron, Jeanne Johnson, Sarah Krisher.
  Patricia M. Donnelly Merit Scholarship Recipient: Eunice Carvajal.
  I also want to recognize those volunteers who are celebrating service 
anniversaries with LCNV. These volunteers are being recognized for the 
service milestone of 15 years.
  Volunteer Service Anniversaries: Veronica Cartier, Shelley Deutch, 
Betsy Mitchell, Jeffrey Randorf, David Webber, Glenn Allen, Stefanie 
Carr, and Maryanne Knockenhauer.
  I have always believed that education is one of the most fundamental 
and important skills to have in one's life. As we have learned here in 
our own community, reading is one of the basic foundations on which to 
build a person's education and their career opportunities, regardless 
of their age I want to extend my personal thanks to the Center and its 
many volunteers for your tireless efforts to promote literacy as a 
lifelong skill.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in commending the English 
Empowerment Center and in thanking and congratulating each of the 
honorees of the 61st EEC Recognition Ceremony. I wish all of them great 
success in their future endeavors.

                          ____________________