[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 3766-3767]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      CONGRATULATING NANCIE ATWELL

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I wish to recognize the inspiring 
accomplishments of Nancie Atwell from Southport, ME, who was awarded 
the first Global Teacher Prize by the Varkey Foundation. This 
international, nonprofit organization is committed to improving the 
quality of education worldwide. Nancie's selection as the foundation's 
first ever prize recipient is a testament to her outstanding 
contributions to the teaching

[[Page 3767]]

profession and her effect on countless students and teachers. The $1 
million prize was awarded at a ceremony in Dubai attended by former 
President Bill Clinton and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime 
Minister of the United Arab Emirates.
  Heralded as the ``Nobel Prize of Teaching,'' the prestigious Global 
Teacher Prize shines a spotlight on the critical role that teachers 
play in our society. Nancie was selected from more than 5,000 
nominations received from 120 countries. The candidates were evaluated 
based on their innovative teaching practices, including their ability 
to prepare students to be global citizens.
  The pool of thousands was narrowed down to a group of 10 remarkable 
nominees, including teachers from Afghanistan, India, Kenya, Haiti, 
Malaysia, Cambodia, and the United States. Within this elite group, 
Nancie Atwell rose above the rest. Nancie has been a teacher since 
1973. In 1990, she used money from her own pocket to found the Center 
for Teaching & Learning, an independent demonstration school that 
educates students from kindergarten through eighth grade in the small 
town of Edgecomb. Her vision was to foster a more meaningful education 
for Maine students. The center serves a close-knit population of 
approximately 75 students who travel from several surrounding towns 
because they are attracted to the school's small class sizes, research-
based curriculum, and teacher outreach programs.
  In a gesture that exemplifies her deep commitment to her students, 
Nancie announced that she intends to donate every last penny of the $1 
million prize back to her school to support its resources, 
scholarships, library, and to replace its worn out furnace.
  Nancie, who has authored many books and articles about education and 
hosted 140 education workshops, embodies a teaching philosophy based on 
student engagement, not just assignments. She encourages her pupils to 
identify and pursue their passions. By enabling students to choose to 
read and write about what interests them, the center has created an 
environment where children are excited to learn and eager to 
demonstrate their knowledge.
  In addition to teaching students, the center does remarkable work 
teaching teachers. Educators from other schools regularly visit the 
center for professional development. Once there, they observe school-
wide morning meetings, libraries in every classroom, and student-driven 
writing workshops. The center facilitates a teacher internship program 
that pairs visiting educators with teachers at the school. These 
intern-teachers observe and confer about instruction methods and leave 
equipped to make substantive changes back in their own schools.
  In her acceptance speech, Nancie said:

       When children are engaged, when learning is joyful, those 
     are the lessons that stick. Those are the lessons that are 
     worthwhile and meaningful and hang around.

  This philosophy has inspired teachers and students alike. In fact, it 
was one of Nancie's former students who nominated her for the prize.
  Under Nancie's leadership, the Center for Teaching & Learning has 
earned national praise. How wonderful it is that Nancie's work has now 
earned global recognition. The people of Maine--and especially its 
students--are fortunate to have such a pioneering and driven educator 
fighting for a brighter future. Nancie is a remarkable ambassador for 
both the State of Maine and our country, and I congratulate her on this 
outstanding accomplishment.

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