[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5409]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 5409]]

              DORENE LOWERY--TENNESSEE TEACHER OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. ZACH WAMP

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, April 3, 2001

  Mr. WAMP. Mr. Speaker, Dorene Lowery has been an employee of the 
Bradley County Schools for 17 years. During her tenure she has taught 
grades four, five and six at McDonald School, Prospect School and Black 
Fox School. She is currently serving as principal at Michigan Avenue 
Elementary School.
  Ms. Lowery has been recognized as a Black Fox Elementary Teacher of 
the Year 2000, Bradley County Teacher of the Year 2000, District 
Teacher of the Year 2001 and most recently Tennessee Teacher of the 
Year 2001.
  She indicates there are many reasons she decided to become a 
teacher--primarily heritage. Her parents were major influences in her 
life. Her mother, Mary Harris, instilled in her a love for books. Her 
father, Ron Harris, who has been a professor at Lee University for 35 
years is responsible for instilling in her a love for teaching. He 
tells Dorene her favorite phrases were always, ``Why?'', ``How does it 
work?'', and ``Show me.'' Another reason she became a teacher was her 
love of school. She would love to come home from kindergarten and teach 
her younger brother the things she had learned that day.
  ``For me, there was never a career choice to make. I always knew I 
was a teacher. I have found through the years that the quest to be the 
agent of academic growth in students and to witness their successes has 
not diminished. To help a child step out into the uncharted frontiers 
of their mind and experiences spurs me on and provides me with 
boundless joy. I affect eternity. No one can tell where my influence 
will stop. For this reason, I TEACH.'' Her husband is Steve Lowery. 
They have no children.

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