[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 82 (Friday, May 10, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E477]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CELEBRATING DR. RACHAEL MAHMOOD, THE 2024 ILLINOIS TEACHER OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BILL FOSTER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 10, 2024

  Mr. FOSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise during Teacher Appreciation Week to 
celebrate an educator from Aurora, Illinois. Dr. Rachael Mahmood, a 
fifth-grade teacher in Indian Prairie School District 204 at Georgetown 
Elementary School, was named the 2024 Illinois Teacher of the Year.
  Dr. Mahmood has taught in her district since 2005 and came to 
Georgetown Elementary School in 2015. Dr. Mahmood was selected from a 
group of 13 finalists from across the state and is the first person 
from Indian Prairie School District 204 to be chosen as Illinois 
Teacher of the Year.
  As the daughter of a Russian mother and an Indian father, Dr. Mahmood 
found her passion for teaching by overcoming obstacles she faced as a 
mixed-race student. Her dedication to service, education, and equity 
has allowed her to make a lasting impact on the lives of her students--
whether it be helping them succeed in their studies or achieve their 
extracurricular goals.
  Dr. Mahmood has also become an indispensable leader beyond the 
classroom, pioneering various cultural and social initiatives to create 
an inclusive environment where students can connect with their peers. 
As one administrator notes, she ``embodies the qualities of an 
exceptional educator and inspiring leader.''
  At the end of the 2023-2024 school year, Dr. Mahmood will go on 
sabbatical, touring schools around the state of Illinois and sharing 
some of her valuable insight with her fellow educators.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dr. 
Rachael Mahmood on being named Illinois Teacher of the Year and thank 
her for her commitment to improving education for young people in the 
Aurora community.

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