[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 17, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E361]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RECOGNIZING MATTHEW VRIESMAN

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. HILLARY J. SCHOLTEN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 17, 2024

  Ms. SCHOLTEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the dedication 
and commitment of my constituent Matthew Vriesman as an educator 
shaping the lives of high schoolers at East Kentwood High School. As we 
come to the end of another school year, I would like to commend him for 
his outstanding contributions to our community as an Advanced Placement 
(AP) African American Studies, AP United States History, and AP World 
Studies teacher. I would also like to congratulate him for being named 
the National History Teacher of the Year.
  Every year for the past two decades, the Gilder Lehrman Institute of 
American History has chosen one history teacher out of thousands across 
the nation for this prestigious award. The institute's selection 
committee chose Mr. Vriesman in recognition of his extraordinary 
ability to tell history through the lens of his community while also 
cultivating students' passions for storytelling, learning, and American 
history. It was an honor to celebrate this recognition by inviting Mr. 
Vriesman as my guest to the 2024 State of the Union Address in 
Washington, D.C.
  Matthew Vriesman serves as an inspiration to us all, particularly in 
West Michigan. He has gone above and beyond by working with the Grand 
Rapids Museum to teach students through historical archives, primary 
source documents, and a historical virtual tour of the area that he 
helped create. He has also emphasized teaching about the Great 
Migration from the perspective of Black migrants to Grand Rapids. I 
admire his efforts to make American history accessible to all students, 
especially those from underserved communities. On behalf of myself and 
West Michigan, I applaud Matthew Vriesman for the impact his leadership 
has had on the student population and community as he strives to ensure 
our students' historical education is reflective of the accuracy and 
fullness of our Nation's history.

                          ____________________