[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 8917-8918]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO MS. MARTHA R. ROBERTS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 19, 2006

  Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a wonderful 
educator who is retiring after 34 years of service to our Nation's 
children. Ms. Martha R. Roberts, principal of Lonnie B. Nelson 
Elementary School in Columbia, South Carolina, will officially retire 
at the end of this school year from the very same school where her 
career began.
  Ms. Roberts is a product of Richland School District Two, having 
graduated from Dentsville High School in 1967. She didn't stay away 
long, securing her first teaching position after graduating from 
Winthrop College (University) at Richland Two's Lonnie B. Nelson as a 
combined fourth and fifth grade teacher. She excelled as a classroom 
teacher winning awards as Outstanding Elementary Teacher of America in 
1975, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Award 
for School Mathematics Program in 1978, and Lonnie Bee Teacher of the 
Year in 1979. That same year, she took a position as the Lead Teacher 
for Lonnie Bee's Math Lab program that gives extra attention to 
students who need it.
  The administration at Lonnie Bee recognized the talent they had in 
Ms. Roberts, and in 1983, she was named Assistant Principal. In this 
role, she coordinated the school's curriculum and utilized her 
classroom expertise to help guide other teachers. During her time as 
Assistant Principal, Lonnie ``Bee'' earned the distinction as a 
National Blue Ribbon School Award recipient.
  In 1988, Ms. Roberts left South Carolina to pursue opportunities in 
the Chicago, Illinois area. She consulted first for Kishwaukee 
Community College and Shabbona School System. She later became 
principal of Shabbona Schools that served children from preschool 
(child development) through the 12th grade.
  Yet, Ms. Roberts' heart always remained in South Carolina, and she 
returned in 1992 to Walterboro (South Carolina) High School. Two years 
later she returned to Richland School District Two in Columbia to serve 
as principal of Forest Lake Elementary. During her six years there, the 
school was a National Blue Ribbon School Award winner.

[[Page 8918]]

  Ms. Roberts later transferred to become principal of Dent Middle 
School, the former Dentsville High School from which she had graduated, 
for one year before she retired in June 2001. Her retirement was short-
lived.
  Ms. Roberts was pressed back into service in June 2002 to serve as a 
principal trainer at Killian Elementary School in Richland School 
District Two. The following year, she consulted with the district on 
creating a comprehensive and effective school choice program. Then in 
July 2004, she returned once again to Lonnie B. Nelson Elementary 
School to serve as principal at the very school where she began her 
career.
  During her busy career, Ms. Roberts found time to complete her 
Masters in Education at the University of South Carolina, and do 
postgraduate work at USC, The Citadel and Northern Illinois University. 
She has also raised her son, Chris, and is now the proud grandmother of 
Chris and his wife, Stephanie's son, Chandler.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in congratulating 
Martha Roberts for her exemplary commitment to educating young 
children. She has demonstrated a tremendous talent and love that has 
helped nurture countless students during her 34-year career. I applaud 
her dedication to public education, and extend best wishes and Godspeed 
upon her retirement.

                          ____________________