[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 13960]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                         TRIBUTE TO JOYE KELLEY

 Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 
career of Joye Kelley who is retiring as the president of the Rogers 
Board of Education after a lifetime of service and dedication to 
education.
  Joye Kelley has been a fixture of the Rogers School Board for more 
than 29 years serving 20 of those years as president. During her 
decades of service, Joye has been a visionary for expansion and growth 
of a school system challenged to meet the needs of the growing 
population. During her years on the board, Joye ushered in many 
improvements to schools including the construction of 14 new schools to 
accommodate the tremendous growth.
  Joye has led the Rogers School District to be one of the best 
districts in Arkansas establishing the mission that welcomes all 
students and works to help each student succeed. The result of her 
vision and leadership is the creation of an award-winning education 
system that is recognized nationally. Both Rogers High School and 
Heritage High School have been named among the top 1,000 high schools 
in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Both are ranked in the top 
five schools in Arkansas, and the school district is home to a National 
Blue Ribbon School.
  Joye sets a great example of being a hands-on leader, insisting that 
the board members tour all 23 school campuses at the beginning of the 
school year to make sure students are provided with a quality learning 
environment. Joye's husband, Gene, estimates that she spends up to 
1,000 hours each year in service to schools.
  Perhaps one of Joye's greatest achievements was her influence on 
education funding in Arkansas and encouraging the State to make it a 
priority. Her courage to lead the Rogers School Board to challenge 
education funding helped pave the path for a better education system in 
Arkansas for students no matter what school district they are enrolled 
in or where they live.
  I had the privilege of serving with Joye as a member of the school 
board. Her expertise and vision made a lasting mark that will be 
enjoyed by the community and students for generations after she no 
longer presides over school board meetings.
  Joye has displayed dedication, perseverance and commitment to 
education. I appreciate her friendship and am grateful for her years of 
service and efforts devoted to improving the education of Arkansas 
students.

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