[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14187]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING GEORGE POUMAKIS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GUS M. BILIRAKIS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 14, 2016

  Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor George Poumakis, a 
highly-successful entrepreneur and distinguished member of the Greek 
community in my district.
  Mr. Poumakis was recently recognized by the Federation of Hellenic 
American Educators and the Greek Teacher Association of Florida for the 
being the pioneer and founder of the first Greek immersion charter 
school in the United States--the Athenian Academy. Today, the Athenian 
Academy is recognized by the Florida Department of Education as a High 
Performing School--receiving an ``A'' grade--and is the only school in 
Pinellas County that teaches two foreign languages (Greek and Spanish) 
daily to all K-8 students.
  As a father of four boys, all of whom attended public schools, I am 
very familiar with the link between a robust public education system 
and our nation's vitality. Benjamin Franklin once said, ``An investment 
in knowledge pays the best interest.'' Mr. Poumakis is a valuable 
community partner and stands as an example of main street solutions to 
main street challenges. Through the entrepreneurial approach which 
brought him personal success in the past, Mr. Poumakis managed to build 
an academy which will contribute to the success of countless lives in 
Florida's Twelfth Congressional District for years to come.
  I commend the Federation of Hellenic American Educators and the Greek 
Teacher Association of Florida for recognizing the contributions of Mr. 
Poumakis, and I hope every American can learn from and emulate the 
commitment of this Greek entrepreneur to education.

                          ____________________