[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17149]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING ROBERT STEPHENSON, MICHIGAN TEACHER OF THE YEAR

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MIKE ROGERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 8, 2009

  Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Madam Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to 
Robert Stephenson on his selection as Michigan's 2009-2010 Teacher of 
the Year.
  Over his 15-year teaching career, Robert Stephenson has helped to 
inspire and enlighten students across Mid-Michigan. Stephenson, a third 
grade teacher at Wardcliff Elementary School in East Lansing, was 
selected from 20 regional finalists statewide. The award recognizes 
excellence in teaching and aims to provide teachers with the 
opportunity to interact with policymakers, provide a public voice for 
educators, and focus public attention on the importance of teachers.
  Using a hands-on approach, Stephenson's classroom activities engage 
students at a higher intellectual level. He is a role model to all his 
students and colleagues as he uses new and innovative teaching 
techniques to provide students a better learning experience.
  Stephenson joins a unique class of teachers from Mid-Michigan. He is 
the fifth teacher from Mid-Michigan to receive this award in the last 
29 years, and the fourth from Michigan's Eighth district in the last 10 
years.
  Madam Speaker, education is the cornerstone of our future and great 
teachers lay the foundation for our comminutes. I wish to extend my 
gratitude to Robert Stephenson for his many years of service to the 
students in Michigan. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. 
Stephenson for his years of dedication to teaching and his recent 
selection as Michigan's Teacher of the Year.

                          ____________________