[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17114]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           HONORING MY MOTHER

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LINDA T. SANCHEZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 21, 2007

  Ms. LINDA SANCHEZ of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor 
one of my personal heroes, my mother, Maria Sanchez, on her retirement 
yesterday after 30 years teaching in the classroom. I can honestly and 
proudly say that my mother is a true American success story.
  An immigrant, she came to this country without knowing English, 
without much money in her pocket, and without a job waiting for her.
  Her life's been hard, and we kids didn't make it any easier. But she 
and my father taught us to work hard, persevere, and play by the rules.
  My mother raised seven children and sent them all to college. She is 
the only mother in U.S. history to send two daughters to Congress.
  And she did this while going to night school to get her A.A., then 
her B.A., then a teaching credential and, ultimately, a master's 
degree. She cleaned houses in her ``spare time,'' and found creative 
ways to make ends meet for a family of nine.
  As an English/Spanish dual-immersion teacher, she helped children 
better express themselves and communicate with each other--shaping our 
community one student at a time.
  Her teaching career may be ending, but she'll keep leading and 
touching lives. Mom, here's to you!

                          ____________________