*Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2017 *

**Remarks Honoring the 2017 National Teacher of the Year and State Teachers of the Year **

*April 26, 2017 *

*The President.* Hi, everybody. Hello, everybody. Busy day, hasn't it been? Busy, busy day. These are great people. We're with great people right now.

So I want to thank you. It's my pleasure to welcome so many extraordinary teachers to the White House. This is called the people's house. [*Laughter*] I also want to congratulate the Council of Chief State School Officers on their 65th year recognizing America's outstanding teachers. These are the greatest there are. Nobody better. So I want to congratulate you all. That's amazing.

Each of you has dedicated yourself to inspiring young minds and to putting our children on a path to happiness and success, lots of success. There are 55 Teachers of the Year who are here with us and from every State—every State in the Union—is that right? Every single State.

So let's see, who's from Alabama? What a great State. [*Laughter*]

*Alabama Teacher of the Year Dana E. Jackson of Clay-Chalkville High School in Pinson, AL.* Right here. We would love for you to come and visit us. [*Laughter*]* *

*Maryland Teacher of the Year Athanasia Kyriakakos of Mergenthaler Vocational Technical High School in Baltimore, MD.* [*Inaudible*] He's coming to Maryland. It's right next door.

*The President.* Who's from Indiana along with——

*Indiana Teacher of the Year Jitka Nelson of Logansport High School in Logansport, IN. *And born in Czechoslovakia.

*The President*. ——our Vice President and Karen? Oh, wow, that's fantastic. We have our Vice President. We have Karen Pence. So thank you very much.* *

Today we honor one teacher in particular. She is the 2017 National Teacher of the Year, Sydney Chaffee. Sydney is a ninth-grade humanities teacher at Codman Academy Charter School in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Nice place, by the way. Sydney is the first teacher from Massachusetts ever to win the award and the first from a public charter school. That is really something special.

Sydney, we'd like to congratulate you on this tremendous achievement. There is nothing more important than being a teacher and certainly to being a great teacher. You're all great, great teachers, and congratulations to all of you.

So when you go home, I hope you all say that your trip to the White House was something very special. I know Melania has been working with you now for quite a while. And she is a tremendous fan of wonderful teachers. And I think she even likes bad teachers, but not as much. [*Laughter*] But she's worked very hard, and we're having some special times. And this is Melania's birthday, and you were very nice to sing happy birthday—[*inaudible*].

*The First Lady*. Thank you.

*The President*. So thank you all very much, and may God bless you all. And you go back and keep teaching those students, because, like I said—oh, look, and you're crying. *Arizona Teacher of the Year Michelle Doherty of Encanto Elementary School in Phoenix, AZ.* Sorry, I'm always crying! [*Laughter*]

*The President.* Well, you know, the Oval Office can do that. I have had some of the biggest executives in the world, and they've been here many times. I said, have you ever been to the Oval Office? They said no. I mean, I won't tell you who, but the biggest, from the biggest companies. And they walk into the Oval Office, and they start crying. [*Laughter*] I said, I promise I won't say to your various stockholders that you cried. [*Laughter*] But I have seen people cry that you'd never believe. It's a very special place, and it's a special building. So thank you all very much. Thank you.

NOTE: The President spoke at 4:40 p.m. in the Oval Office at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to Vice President Michael R. Pence and his wife Karen.

*Categories:* Addresses and Remarks : 2017 National and State Teachers of the Year*.*

*Locations: *Washington, DC.

*Names:* Chaffee, Sydney; Doherty, Michelle; Jackson, Dana E.; Kyriakakos, Athanasia; Nelson, Jitka; Pence, Karen; Pence, Michael R.; Trump, Melania*.*

*Subjects:* Decorations, medals, and awards : Teachers of the Year, National and State; Education : Teachers; White House Office : Vice President.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201700410.