[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7009]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        PEGGY PICKENS--TEACHER, COUNSELOR AND COMMUNITY WARRIOR

                                 ______
                                 

                              HON. TED POE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 14, 2015

  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Peggy Pickens has served as a pillar 
of the greater Humble/Kingwood community for over thirty-five years, 
devoting herself to her family, church, and school communities. A 
native Houstonian, Mrs. Pickens graduated from Phyllis Wheatley High 
School in the historic Fifth Ward, going on to earn a degree in 
education from the University of Houston in 1974 and a Master's Degree 
in Counseling from Prairie View A&M University. She then began her 
career in education as a teacher in the Aldine Independent School 
District at Teague Middle School, Nimitz High School, and MacArthur 
High School. In 1987, Mrs. Pickens joined the Counseling team at 
Kingwood High School, serving with true distinction until her 
retirement from public education in 2002.
  Immediately following her first retirement, Mrs. Pickens began 
developing the Counseling program at Northeast Christian Academy.
  During her successful tenure at NCA, Mrs. Pickens has assisted over 
three hundred graduating seniors earn acceptance into some of the most 
prestigious colleges and universities in our nation. Through the 
guidance of Mrs. Pickens, NCA graduates have successfully attended such 
schools as Stanford University, Duke, Vanderbilt, West Point, the 
United States Air Force Academy, Rice University, the University of 
Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University. Her love of students and 
commitment to their lifelong success has been the hallmark of her 
distinguished career.
  Yet, not only has Mrs. Pickens invested herself into the lives of 
countless students, but she has faithfully served her church community 
at Second Baptist Church North Campus in Kingwood for over a decade. 
Through the teaching of various Bible studies, the mentoring of others, 
as well as numerous public speaking engagements, Mrs. Pickens has 
modeled for others the life of a servant leader in all she has done. 
Her influence and impact on the lives of others has been a living 
testimony to the work of Christ and His gospel in and through her.
  Peggy Pickens and her husband Al have five children and twelve 
grandchildren, each of whom have continued their legacy of service to 
Christ, their families, our nation, and their communities. She we will 
be greatly missed, yet the seeds that she has sown throughout her 
tenure at NCA will continue to bear great fruit in the lives of the 
future graduates of Northeast Christian Academy.
  As the husband and father of school teachers, I know that educators, 
like Peggy, are the backbone of our communities.
  Thanks for the work you've done Peggy, best of luck in newest chapter 
of your life.
  And that's just the way it is.

                          ____________________