[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 8395-8396]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              LYNN FIELDS--COMMUNITY SERVANT FOR EDUCATION

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 8, 2008

  Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, the Humble ISD board of trustees will say 
farewell to a dedicated public servant on May 13, 2008 when my friend 
Mrs. Lynn Fields retires after serving 14 years as a board member.
  I met Lynn when she was a reporter for the Baytown Sun back in the 
1980s and I was a Texas Judge. Since those days, Lynn Fields has served 
as the voice of a mother and community volunteer on the Humble ISD 
school board who always looked out for the best interests of our 
children. She faithfully carried the torch of public service passed to 
her from her father-in-law, Jack Fields Sr., who previously served the 
district as board member for 21 years.
  Over the years, she worked hard at improving services for students in 
both educational and social areas. She initiated the district's pursuit 
of a Spanish immersion program at two Humble elementary schools. She 
led the district with efforts to reduce alcohol and drug use among 
children with programs such as ``Common Ground,'' which resulted in 
increased awareness of the dangers of binge drinking and the importance 
of students' making responsible decisions in social situations.
  Many of her friends and colleagues have spoken kind words in 
describing her dedication to public service. ``Lynn's heart is as big 
as the state of Texas,'' said Dave Martin, President of the Humble ISD 
Board of Trustees. ``We could always count on Lynn's guidance to lead 
us down the direction and path that put the morality and ethical issues 
of our students first.''
  Lynn Fields and Humble ISD Superintendent, Dr. Guy Sconzo, have 
hosted a monthly cable access show called ``Your

[[Page 8396]]

Schools,'' which spotlights people and programs within the district. 
She received the School Bell Award for outstanding media coverage of 
educational news for the program by the Texas Retired Teachers 
Association.
  ``Lynn is frankly just one of the kindest, most caring servant 
leaders I have ever met,'' said Dr. Sconzo about working with Lynn. 
``Through literally every very difficult budget development crisis and 
challenging growth issues that face our district, Lynn always kept the 
discussion focused on what's best for children.''
  Lynn Fields has also experienced many wonderful personal moments in 
her 14-year tenure as school board member including the opportunity to 
hand two of her children their high school diplomas at their 
graduation. She also watched with pride when the board of trustees 
named an elementary school after her late father-in-law Jack Fields Sr.
  In addition to her efforts in the school district, she is also an 
active community leader in several organizations. Lynn is a member of 
Humble Area First Baptist Church. She is a Light Keeper member of 
Mothers Against Drunk Driving and serves as MADD Southeast Texas 
Regional Council Chair. She has been a long-time advocate for women and 
children. Lynn started the Bay Area Women's Center in Baytown in 1981. 
With the help of her husband, former Congressman Jack Fields, they 
raised funds to help open ``The Door,'' a shelter for battered women in 
the Humble area.
  Jack Fields has been a long-time friend of mine, and he is extremely 
proud of Lynn's accomplishments as well. ``My wife has given of 
herself, unselfishly, for the students of our area,'' he said. ``She 
has led in the areas of character, alcohol and drug education, and 
Spanish immersion for those students wishing to become bilingual. She 
is an outstanding woman, mother and wife. Our area and my family are 
benefited by her years of service. She is the model for those who serve 
in their communities. I could not be more proud of her. I am honored to 
be her husband. I love her very much.''
  It is an honor today to recognize the great contributions that Lynn 
Fields has made to Humble ISD and the community. Madam Speaker, we 
thank Lynn, for her years of service, principled leadership and 
dedication to our children. I wish her the best of luck in her future 
endeavors.
  And that's just the way it is.