[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5637]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       IDAHO TEACHER OF THE YEAR

 Mr. CRAIG. Madam President, today President Bush is 
recognizing the national Teacher of the Year, and I want to join him in 
recognizing teachers across America for the vital work they do. I come 
from a family of educators, so I have seen firsthand the impact 
teachers have on children. They do this because they care about each 
and every child they teach. These public servants deserve our gratitude 
and thanks.
  While I believe this can be said of all teachers, I would like to 
recognize one particular teacher today who embodies this sentiment. She 
is Jennifer Williams, of Nampa, ID, and she was chosen by my State as 
Teacher of the Year.
  One look at her career shows why she was chosen as the Teacher of the 
Year. She has dedicated 29 years of her life to teaching, and those 29 
years have been full of innovation and a real love for education. Not 
only has she been busy in the classroom, she has also found time for 
activities which enrich the community and help kids outside of school. 
For example, she has co-chaired Boise's Art for Kids project and 
created a youth art program through which she and her students go to 
rural communities to help children with art lessons.
  While these activities are important, her classroom work is what 
truly sets her apart. She has received many awards for this work in the 
past, including being named Mountain Home School District's teacher of 
the year in 1991, as well as receiving the 1992 USWest Outstanding 
Teacher Award, the 2000 Governor's Award in the Arts, the 2001 Idaho 
Art Teacher of the Year, and the 2001 Unsung Heroes Award.
  Her students adore her and her peers respect her. This what every 
teacher strives for, and Nancy has earned this regard. As Marilyn 
Howard, the Idaho State Superintendent of Education, said, ``Mrs. 
Williams stands out as one of those individuals who is a teacher in 
everything she does, not just in the classroom working with students, 
but also in her workplace and in her community. Her passion and 
dedication show in her accomplishments.''
  As you can see, Jennifer Williams is truly a treasure for her school, 
for Idaho, and indeed for the Nation in general. Teachers like Jennifer 
make education a rewarding experience for students and parents alike. I 
am proud that the State of Idaho chose her as its Teacher of the Year. 
She is a great example for the rest of the State and the Nation, and I 
hope this award gives her a platform so she can help other teachers to 
excel as she has.

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