[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5273]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      IN HONOR OF CAROL GUTIERREZ

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, April 3, 2017

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Carol Gutierrez, a teacher 
in the Hillsborough City School District for 27 years, who is being 
honored with the Community Care Award from the Associated Parents' 
Group. This award is given to a non-resident employee of the school 
district who has made sustained, significant and lasting contributions 
that have touched the lives of our children and benefited the community 
as a whole.
  Carol has taught at West and North Hillsborough Elementary schools 
and was also a writing enrichment teacher at South for one year. Her 
love of children and drive to prepare them for the real world and 
successful lives has earned her the admiration and adoration of her 
students, their parents and her colleagues alike. The school district 
is extraordinarily fortunate to have such a top-notch and dedicated 
teacher.
  Carol's secret to success is that she teaches students to trust their 
own instincts and to follow their own passions. The students also learn 
to share those passions with fellow students in their own classes and 
in other classes, which creates a wonderful learning environment that 
nurtures individualism and community at the same time.
  In her current position as a 2nd grade teacher at North, Carol 
incorporates art, technology, cooperative learning and exploration time 
to engage her students. Examples of such activities include Business 
Day, Design Thinking Challenges and Recycled Art. Her classroom is 
vibrant, comfortable, welcoming and open. It is with good reason that 
one of her recent students said, ``School can't get better than this. I 
love Ms. Gutierrez.''
  As a 5th grade teacher at West, Carol and two of her colleagues 
developed and refined a community service jobs program and a trip to 
our Nation's Capital. They also differentiated instruction with theme 
projects, led a math peer tutor program at lunch and promoted interest 
in world culture by hosting an annual geography bee. Carol also served 
as a new teacher mentor for the district.
  Carol was born in East Chicago, Indiana and earned her BA from U.C. 
Berkeley. She and her husband Michael Gutierrez have three children, 
Nikolas, Katie and Joseph. In her spare time, Carol enjoys spending 
time with her family, drawing, cooking and exercising.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the Members of the House of Representatives to 
join me in recognizing an exemplary and beloved teacher in the 
Hillsborough City School District. Carol Gutierrez brings out the best 
in every single one of her students and sets them on a path to success 
and life-long learning.

                          ____________________