[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 94 (Wednesday, June 3, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E517]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING SCHOOL EMPLOYEES WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL EDUCATION AWARD
______
HON. VERN BUCHANAN
of florida
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Mr. BUCHANAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the outstanding
school employees in Florida's 16th Congressional District.
School employees work tirelessly because they understand that their
efforts are not just about fulfilling a job description, but about
shaping the future.
They deserve recognition because they are the architects of
knowledge, the mentors of tomorrow's leaders, and the unsung heroes who
work behind the scenes to ensure that every child has the opportunity
to thrive.
Twelve years ago, I established the Congressional Education Awards
program with the aim of providing special acknowledgment to
administrators, educators, and support staff within Florida's 16th
Congressional District for their outstanding achievements in both
teaching and inspiring students.
I include in the Record the names of the school employees who were
nominated and selected to receive Florida's 16th District's 2026
Congressional Education Award for their accomplishments:
Barbara Harvey K-8 at North River Ranch: Lisa Peterson;
Braden River High School: Toni Garrett;
Braden River Middle School: Jane Beach, Christopher Brown,
Andre Bryant, Kiera Gallon, Erin Lamaitis, Michele McClellan,
and Kathleen Stewart-Arande;
Buffalo Creek Middle School: Ken Huston, Michael Kawalya,
Mandy Kersey, and Courtney O'Leary;
Daughtrey Elementary School: Albana Balatoni, Evelyn
Collado, and Ashley Roberts;
Dorothy C York Innovation Academy: Jerry Turner and
Kimberly Wheeler;
Dr. Mona Jain Middle School: David Moore;
Electa Lee Middle School: Elizabeth Ballate, Larry Benton,
Melissa Causey, Joannie Cruz, Rebecca Farrell, Jacob Grimes,
Luisa Jimenez, Ann McDonald, Tammila Smith, Sheree Thomas,
and Rodney Thompson;
Gene Witt Elementary School: Jennifer Alcantara, Charity
Applegate, Brenda Arnold, Debra Barnard, Karen Barrett, Keary
Bartless, Rina Becker, Brian Beverly, Cheryl Rice, Lisa
Blakemore, Jennie Boone, Lisa Boyer, Beth Brack, Josiah
Brooks, Megan Brown, Tom Brugos, Cheryl Bulfin, Catherine
Burke, Amanda Cannon, Angela Cannon, Darren Carnes, Lauren
Collins, Dawn Contes, Bill Culbreath, Olivia Danko, Cynthia
Deras, Michelle Figueroa, Maddie Flinkman, Cindy Fosbenner,
Tracylyn Frisch, Sharon Gagne, Susan Gallagher, Genda Garner,
Amie Golden, Mary Green, Danielle Guida, Sarah Hammond, Erica
Harris, Jenna Holden, Amy Holland, Amanda Houston, Kim
Roberson Hoy, Ana Ibarra, Colleen Inners, Beverly Jackson,
Susan Johnson, Peggy Linder, Amy Lindsey, Eileen McCourt,
Lauren McDaniel, TayLor McLaughlin, Kristen Nunn, April
Pellegrino, Lliana Perez, Debra Pope, Ali Pumphrey, Aniris
Rivera, Jill Rubin, Laura Schuneman, Karrin Scully, Tracy
Seller, Machelle Sharp, Danielle Shaw, Michelle Shilling,
NicoLe Smith, Natasha Smith, Joanne Sollazzo, Cami Tabor,
Brooke Tovar, Palak Trivedi, Stacey Vedder, Kelly Walker,
Dave Walker, Susan Wheeler, Susan Whiddon, Lisa Wilkes, Katie
Wilson, Nancy Wittner, and Allison Wykes;
Haile Middle School: Amie Poole and Anthony Vasile;
Hillsborough County Schools: Johan Von Ancken;
Johnson K-8 School: Karen Gardiner;
Lakewood Ranch High School: Joseph Tommy Cuervo, Rennie
Fink, Kristen Martin, Yesika Salcido, Meghan Sugalski, Donna
Thomas, Bryan Thomas, and Julie Young;
Lennard High School: Denise Savino;
Lincoln Middle School: Lisandra Tayloe;
Manatee High School: Aaron Bokelman and Jennifer Reynolds;
McNeal Elementary School: Andrea Berninger, Jorge Cabrera
Espinosa, Michelle Dubendorf, Martha Ferra, Kathryn Flesche,
Sarah Ford, Jeanine Germer, Amy Jendro, Vyacheslav
Kolomiychenko, Dr. Shawn Mandel, Lillian Matazinski, Donna
McCrane, Emma Mileham, Alex Padgett, Tina Peters, Adrienne
Robotham, Beatrix Schaeffar, and Catherine Sykes;
Miller Elementary School: Cynthia Bigelow, Debbie Brady,
Sandra Hoffman, Amy Morris, Jennifer Pettas, Katelyn Potter,
and Michelle Westendorf;
Mills Elementary School: Trisha Roth;
Morgan High School: Rebecca Dougherty, Adria Reyes, Ebony
Robinson and Brittney Wilhelm;
Mulrennan Middle School: Jennifer Stout-Ihland;
Myakka City E]ementary School: Angelica Guerra-Guerra,
Leslie Jones, Debbie Veldkamp, and Karen Washington;
Newsome High School: Brittany Avery, Katie Best, John
Feely, Carin Galimore, Aaron Haygood, Erich Herrmann, Jessica
Lincoln, Lisa Maiello, April McGinley, Sardis Mercado,
Vernessa Neu, Nancy Ohme, Nikki Pennington, Amanda Ryan,
Carolyn Sims, Kimberly Tyll, and Richard Unis;
Palm View K-8 School: Cindy Hutchinson and Brenda Van Horn;
Palmetto Elementary School: Kelly Howard;
Palmetto High School: Kathleen Brown;
Parrish Community High School: Amanda Hedman;
Manatee County Schools: Erin Chapman and Sheri Goodwin;
Reddick Elementary School: Analiese Cook, Kimberly Cooke,
and Julie Holubetz;
Riverview High School: Brian Adams, Taquanda Carlton,
Ashley Clark, Ann Cruz, Lisa Feroben, Wancarlie Garnier,
Carol Huftalen, Jeremy Murrell, Suzie Ratliff, Jessica
Rodrigues, Pamela Smith, Rachal Stewart, and Danielle
Weigand;
Rogers Garden-Bullock Elementary School: Christine Averitt,
Rebecca Britto, Amy Cosens, Cassie D'Addeo, Michael Escorcia,
Derek Hernandez, Julia Huffman, Albina Lopez, Barbara
Marinaro, and Jamie Rozek-Potter;
Samoset Elementary School: Rosaih Alvarez, Nicole Candelora
Baker, Jennifer Bue, Hailey Cosby, Susan Crowley, Nuris
Fanning, Katie Fleck, Yalimary Gonzalez, Rachel Griggs,
Michelle Halbman, Sabra HatLey, Dottie Hodges, Teairra Horne,
Rebecca Humphrey, Deelah Jackson, Rosa Johnson, Krista Keats,
Keala Keiper, Yumi Kondo, Jamie Lavigne, Blue Lovell, Tawanda
Means, Pattie Mike, Lorraine Miller, Ariana Morales, Lakieffa
Nickens, Peggy O'Connor, Stephanie O'Kelly, Andrea Padron,
Andrea Perez, Tricia Pez, Tess Priest, Bonnie Raad, Donna
Stoddart, Randy Taylor, Brittany Thigpen, Judith Vierra,
Maddy Walter, Kelly Smith Williams, and Lisa Wood;
School District: of Manatee Transportation: Titinysha
Holmes, Charlene Love, Carlos Lux Montano, and Blanca Riojas;
Sea Breeze Elementary School: Jeff Bailey;
South County Career Acceleration Academy: Julia Boyett,
Josephine Byers, Thomas Chapman, Emily Johnson-Lerch, and
Jennifer Woods;
Southeast High School: Rochelle Banach;
St. Stephen's Episcopal School: Tyler Cotton;
State College of Florida Collegiate School: Julia Hathaway,
Gulnaz Kalimullina, Ashley MacMunn, and Thomas Shanafelt;
Sugg Middle School: Erin Craig and Dr. Terrance Marshall;
Sumner High School: Catherine Leon Gonzalez, Leah Henson,
Autumn Hernandez, Juan Hernandez, Mike Layfield, Amanda
Morehouse, Amber Pirotta, Jason Talley, and Christine
Wasylkiw;
Tara Elementary School: Linda Haluska;
Williams Elementary School: Kathy Bixler, Ashley Garner and
Karen Haacke;
Willis Elementary School: Kelley Carpenter, Hanna Cuervo,
Jennifer Hubley, Kristin Keclik, and Karl Sidnam.
On behalf of the people of Florida's 16th District, I congratulate
each of these outstanding educators and offer my sincere appreciation
for their service and dedication.
____________________