[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18100]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO LAURA SANDERS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a 
remarkable teacher from my home State of Kentucky, Laura Sanders, who 
was recognized on August 19 as Kentucky's 2008 No Child Left Behind 
American Star of Teaching.
  Sanders, a kindergarten teacher at Cumberland Trace Elementary School 
in Bowling Green, KY, has based her teaching career on the belief that 
all children can achieve and holds high expectations for each and every 
one of them.
  She looks at each child's strengths and weaknesses and works with 
them individually or in small groups to ensure their success. She is 
the recipient of numerous awards recognizing her contributions to 
education.
  For the 2006-2007 school year, her students' reading scores went from 
the 52 percent benchmark in the fall to 91 percent in the spring. For 
the 2007-2008 school year, her kindergarteners started with a 58 
percent benchmark and by mid-year, 85 percent had met the benchmark 
scores.
  However, it is her love of teaching, and the love she has for her 
students, that defines her effective and creative teaching style that 
gives students a willingness to learn.
  ``Love. Love the children that come in your door every day,'' Sanders 
advises other educators.
  Patrice McCrary, who has been a colleague and friend of Sanders for 
over a decade, nominated Sanders for this year's award.
  ``I've had the honor and privilege of team teaching with her. This is 
our 11th year together, and I have never seen anybody who puts more 
into their teaching or loves their students more than Ms. Sanders 
does,'' McCrary said.
  Each year since 2004, teachers across all grade levels and 
disciplines are honored in the fall as American Stars of Teaching based 
on their success in improving academic performance and making a 
difference in their students' lives.
  Margaret Spellings, the Secretary of Education, acknowledged the 
outstanding teaching style that Sanders brings to her students.
  ``Teachers like Laura Sanders combine a passion for teaching with 
high expectations that every child can learn,'' Spellings said. ``We at 
the U.S. Department of Education are proud to recognize these 
dedicated, hard-working professionals, who are committed to closing the 
achievement gap and challenging every child to achieve his or her 
potential.''
  Her former students are walking examples of her success and her 
passion for teaching. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join with 
me in recognizing Laura Sanders's unwavering dedication to education, 
her community, and Kentucky.

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