[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9880-9881]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

                                 ______
                                 

               NATIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER OF THE YEAR

 Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate Gregg 
Agena of Mililani Middle School for being recognized as the national 
middle school teacher of the year by the National Association for 
Sports and Physical Education.
  Initially, Gregg was honored by being named the Southwest District 
Middle School Physical Educator of the Year.

[[Page 9881]]

The Southwest District of the National Association for Sport and 
Physical Education, NASPE, is a six-State region, which includes 
Hawaii. There were four other finalists for the national recognition, 
and it is with esteemed pride that I recognize and congratulate Gregg 
for receiving the national honor.
  The award, which was announced at the NASPE national convention in 
Salt Lake City, UT, is a recognition of outstanding teaching at the 
middle school level and for motivating students to participate in 
physical activity throughout their entire lives. As a former educator 
and principal, I know firsthand of the countless hours that go into 
creating curricula, and it makes me proud to see outstanding teachers 
receive recognition for their hard work.
  Gregg, who received both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from 
the University of Hawaii at Manoa, my alma mater, has also been 
recognized as the Nike Teacher of the Year, Hawaii Middle School 
Physical Education Teacher of the Year, and the recipient of the Ola 
Pono, which is Hawaii's Drug Free Award.
  I would also like to recognize Kay Bicoy of Pearl City High School, 
who was named the Southwest District High School Physical Educator of 
the Year by NASPE. This was the first time that a public school teacher 
from the state of Hawaii was selected as a district award recipient, 
and it is with immense pride that I recognize not only one, but two 
teachers from my home State for such an accomplishment.
  The dedication of Gregg and Kay to their field and to the children of 
Hawaii are undeniable. I congratulate them both not only for these 
outstanding recognitions, but especially for their dedication to 
educating the youth from the state of Hawaii, and I wish them the very 
best in their future endeavors.

                          ____________________