[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Pages 11264-11265]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   NATIONAL TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK

  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, in 1985 the National PTA and the 
National Education Association announced the creation of Teacher 
Appreciation Week to be celebrated during the first week of May. This 
year that celebration occurred from May 4 to 10. I want to add my voice 
to those who have come to the floor of the United States Senate to 
recognize this special occasion.
  While every society places a premium on education in terms of 
developing a skilled and trained workforce in the next generation, 
education in America also represents a ladder of opportunity. We take 
great pride in being an open society in which people can move up and 
forward. Education provides a path by which our young people can 
improve themselves and develop their full potential. And, of course, 
teachers are at the forefront of this critical effort.
  My own admiration and respect for the teaching profession began at an 
early age. Both of my parents were Greek immigrants and, while there 
were no diplomas on their walls at home, they understood the importance 
of hard work and the value of education. After putting in countless 
hours at our family restaurant in Salisbury, MD, my father would come 
home at night, tired and weary. Yet, I remember watching him night 
after night taking down books and reading them late into the evening, a 
lesson I have never forgotten.
  And, of course, I have a deep personal connection to the teaching 
profession. My wife Christine was a teacher in Baltimore for many years 
and my brother Tony was a school administrator in Wicomico County, MD. 
His daughter Beth Sheller is currently a public school teacher in 
Wicomico County. Few other professionals are able to touch so many 
people in such a lasting way as do teachers. I have been privileged to 
witness this first hand through the experiences of my family members 
who have spent their careers in the education profession.
  Today's teachers are in the midst of incredible struggles. Being a 
teacher has never been easy, but our modern society has only increased 
the challenges. Today, our teachers face the task of educating children 
with limited English skills, meeting the requirements of the recently 
enacted No Child Left Behind Act and the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act, staying abreast of new technology, and doing so in aging 
schools that are in need of extensive repairs and updating. With so 
many schoolchildren living in

[[Page 11265]]

families with both parents working or in single-parent homes, our 
schools and teachers are being asked to assume much of the 
responsibility for after school care as well.
  Compared with many professions, our Nation's teachers are overwhelmed 
and underpaid, shouldering major responsibilities that often go 
unappreciated. Our citizens are considered to be among the best 
educated in the world and for that we have our teachers to thank. While 
we frequently hear tales of failing schools, many success stories are 
overlooked. This week is a fitting time to tell the stories of the many 
caring, dedicated and talented educators who perform their jobs with 
excellence every day. Their successes motivate children and other 
teachers and increase our confidence in our education system. We need 
to hear more about teachers like Robin Nussbaum, this year's winner of 
the Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award for Howard County. Ms. 
Nussbaum is a special education teacher at Cedar Lane School in 
Columbia, MD. Her students and their families acknowledge it is her 
tireless work in and out of the classroom, coupled with her deep 
concern for student success that make her an extraordinary educator.
  I would like to read for the Record a list of the 2002-2003 Maryland 
Teachers of the Year from all 23 Maryland counties and Baltimore City. 
These professionals have demonstrated incredibly high performance in 
their fields in a very challenging time.


                2002-2003 Maryland Teachers of the Year

       Allegany, Heather Michele Morgan, Parkside Elem., 
     Kindergarten
       Anne Arundel, Mattie A. Procaccini, Old Mill HS, English 9, 
     10
       Baltimore City, Sara Lawlyes, Westport Academy, 
     Kindergarten
       Baltimore County, Cheryl Bost, Mars Estates Elem., Reading/
     Language
       Calvert, James R. Seawell, Plum Point MS, Science 7, 8
       Caroline, Catherine L. Knight, Lockerman MS, Science 8
       Carroll, Susan H. Adami, Hampstead Elem., Grades 4, 5
       Cecil, Charlotte E. Mehosky, Gilpin Manor Elem., Pre-
     primary/Special Education
       Charles, Joan Withers, La Plata HS, English 10, 12
       Dorchester, Terri Lynn Wright, North Dorchester HS, Phys. 
     Ed./Health
       Frederick, Darren Ray Hornbeck, Linganore HS, Social 
     Studies 11, 12
       Garrett, Elizabeth Rees Gilbert, Swan Meadow, Science/
     Lang./S.S.
       Harford, Howard E. Eakes, Fountain Green Elem., Grade 5
       Howard, Michele Zurad, Burleigh Manor MS, Math 6
       Kent, Sue Dorsey, Millington Elem., Math, Science 3
       Montgomery, Arlene Barte-Lowe, Takoma Park MS, Reading, 
     Math 6
       Prince George's, Vanessa Hill, Dwight D. Eisenhower MS
       Queen Anne's, Darryl C. Calloway, Sudlersville MS, Social 
     Studies 6
       St. Mary's, Larry Brabec, James A. Forrest, Sheet Metal 10, 
     12 Career and Tech Center
       Somerset, Glen N. Ennis, Greenwood MS, Grade 6 & Tech Ed.
       Talbot, Thomas M. Callahan, Easton HS, Social Studies 9-12
       Washington, Vicki Follett, Bester Elem., Grades 1, 2
       Wicomico, Beth S. Sheller, West Salisbury Elem., Grades 
     Pre-K - 2
       Worcester, Sandy Coates, West Showell Elem., Grade 2

  If you ask many people the name of the winner of the Academy Awards 
Best Picture Award 20 years ago, or the NBA Most Valuable Player from 
10 years ago, few would be able to remember. However, ask any 
individual to name his or her favorite teacher, and it is usually an 
easy task. Not only can they recall the name, but also how that teacher 
positively affected their lives. Today, I want hard working teachers 
everywhere to know that they are appreciated. We know they make a 
difference and we should all thank them for their commitment and hard 
work.

                          ____________________