    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [April 21, 2004]
    [Pages 634-636]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to the 2004 National and State Teachers of the Year
    April 21, 2004

        Thank you all very much. Please be seated. Welcome to the Rose
    Garden.
        I told you not to tell the Elvis story. [Laughter] She told it anyway, didn't she?
        Every President since Harry Truman has presented this award, Teacher
    of the Year Award. And there's a good reason for that. When you're in
    the company of some of the Nation's finest citizens, our greatest
    teachers, you're in the company of people who give their hearts and
    their careers to improving the lives of children. You're in the company
    of the best of our country.
        I want to congratulate the teachers who are here from around the
    country. It is a great experience for Laura and
    me to greet you in the Oval Office. I guess the word I would describe
    the teachers as they came through is, they're joyous people. There's
    such a joy that radiates on your face and in your character. And on
    behalf of our Nation, I want to thank you for what you do. You make a
    great contribution.
        In spite of the fact that she told the Elvis story, the best
    decision I made was to marry a teacher. Laura is a great First
    Lady for our country, and I'm really proud of
    her.
        Besides the distinguished teachers who are here, I see we've got
    some other distinguished citizens with us today. Gene Hickok is the Deputy Secretary of the Department of
    Education. Thank you for coming, Gene. I'm glad you're here.
        From the great State of Kansas, Senator Brownback and Congressman Dennis Moore--
    I'm honored you both are here. Thanks for coming. I appreciate the fact
    that Lindsey Graham from South Carolina is
    here and Congressman Gresham Barrett.
    Thank you both for coming. I see Maria Cantwell, Senator from the State of Washington, is with us today
    and Congressman George
    Nethercutt--appreciate you all being here.
        I appreciate so very much the Governor of the great State of Rhode
    Island, and the first lady,
    Sue, is with us. Thank you both for being
    here today--honored you took time to come. I'm confident our honoree is
    really pleased you're here.
        I appreciate the fact that Senator Chafee--Senator Linc
    Chafee and Senator Jack Reed have joined us. Thank you for coming. And Congressman
    Jim Langevin is with us as well. Good to
    see you, friend. I'm glad you're back.
        I also, too, want to congratulate the National Teacher of the Year
    finalists: Keil Hileman from DeSoto,
    Kansas; Jason Fulmer from Graniteville, South
    Carolina--you've been there, haven't you, Senator?--that's good--
    [laughter]--Dennis Griner from Palouse,
    Washington; and of course, our honoree, Kathy Mellor.

    [[Page 635]]

        I also want to congratulate Kathy's
    family, Duke and her three children who have joined us today. I know there are some friends
    here with Kathy. Chris Sirr is with Kathy. She
    came all the way over, and I know there's other friends as well, and I'm
    honored that they would take time out of their lives to support their
    friend and honor their buddy in what is an important moment for our
    Nation, as we honor those who dedicate their lives to teaching.
        I want to thank Tom Houlihan, who is
    the executive director of the Council of Chief State School Officers.
    Ernie Fleishman, the senior vice
    president of education of Scholastic, Inc., thank you for being here. I
    want to thank the Council of Chief State School Officers and Scholastic,
    Inc., for organizing this program. I also want to thank Peter
    McWalters, who's the chief state school
    officer of Rhode Island.
        Welcome, everybody. Thanks for coming.
        It is fitting we have this annual ceremony because teachers are
    charged with a great mission. You do the vital work of teaching our
    children. You give them the skills that will help them succeed. You lay
    the foundation for realizing the American Dream.
        You do more than that, though. You kindle imaginations. You foster a
    love for learning that can last a lifetime. What a fantastic gift to
    give a child. The best teachers treat every child with dignity and
    fairness and insist that their students treat others the same way. And
    through your encouragement and caring, you teach the students to respect
    themselves. To a child, it's a special feeling when a teacher knows your
    name and asks your opinion, cares what you think and gives you
    encouragement. For some students, unfortunately, you might be the only
    person who does that.
        Anyone who has visited the classroom can see that teaching demands
    poise and warmth and, oftentimes, extraordinary patience, as my fourth
    grade teacher had to show. [Laughter] Yet, only the family members of
    teachers know some of the other traits that define great teachers.
    They've seen you stay up late rewriting lesson plans. They've seen you
    seek new ways to advance your skills. They've seen you somehow summon
    the energy to make an after-school game or a play. For you, teaching is
    not just a profession; it's a calling you have answered. And we thank
    you for that. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
        We ask a lot from our teachers, and you're right to expect a lot
    from society. I oftentimes say to people that if you're interested in
    being a responsible citizen and you're worried about the quality of the
    education in the community in which you live, do something about it.
    Support your schools. Support your teachers. Make a difference. As
    opposed to sitting on the outside complaining, get involved, help people
    search for excellence.
        State government has got a responsibility as well. I used to say
    when I was Governor of Texas, education is to a State what defense is to
    the National Government. It's the most important priority. If people are
    worried about the quality of the education in the State in which they
    live, get your Governors to make education the number one priority of
    the State.
        And finally, the Federal Government has got a role to play as well.
    We've increased spending here by 43 percent. The next budget will make
    it 50 percent over the past 4 years. In other words, there's a role for
    the Federal Government. Under the No Child Left Behind Act, we're making
    sure that Federal money actually goes to help students learn.
        I love the spirit of the No Child Left Behind Act, by the way. It's
    what I call challenging the soft bigotry of low expectations. You see,
    the reason you're Teachers of the Year is because you set high
    expectations. You know in your heart of hearts every child can learn.
    You're willing to raise that bar, to set high standards.
        I appreciate so very much the willingness for teachers also to use
    the accountability

    [[Page 636]]

    systems to determine whether or not what you're doing is working. It's a
    vital part of making sure that no child gets left behind. But make no
    mistake about it, we understand here in Washington that the people who
    really make student achievement possible are the good-hearted teachers
    who work hard every single day to make sure that no child is left
    behind. And that's why we honor you here in the Rose Garden.
        Our 2004 National Teacher of the Year is Kathy Mellor. She embodies the qualities that all students and
    parents hope for in a teacher. For nearly 20 years, Ms. Mellor has
    taught English as a second language in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
    Kathy redesigned her district's ESL program to better integrate students
    with their English-speaking classmates, and the educational benefits of
    her innovation have been clear.
        As the parent of one of Mrs. Mellor's
    students wrote, ``My daughter's English improved unbelievably that
    year.'' Gosh, that must be the best words a teacher can hear: ``My
    daughter's English improved unbelievably that year.'' At the end of the
    year, she was able to finish her regular class assignments. The mom
    said, she's able to do so alone or with a little help from her.
        Ms. Mellor's creative approach
    extends well beyond the classroom. She applied for and received a grant
    to teach English to the mothers of her ESL students. What a great gift.
    What a caring soul. Working with two colleagues, Ms. Mellor taught a
    group of women for 2\1/2\ years. At the end of the program, the women's
    language skills and personal confidence were both vastly improved, and
    many went on to further education and to new jobs.
        Ms. Mellor's 19 years in North
    Kingstown has earned her the reputation for creativity and caring and
    consistent success. She's humble and generous, always willing to share
    credit with others and committed to serving as a mentor to every
    colleague. Because she understands the importance of her work, her
    energy and her spirit have never waned. As Kathy put it, ``After many
    years, I still look forward to Monday mornings. Working with this
    diverse community of learners and their supportive families is one of
    the most rewarding things I have ever done or ever could do.'' No wonder
    she's Teacher of the Year.
        Every teacher here has chosen a rewarding and optimistic profession.
    And the families of America are glad that people like you show up every
    Monday morning. I thank each of you for your skill and dedication. I
    thank you for being an integral part of making sure America is a hopeful
    and optimistic country for all.
        And now, it's my honor to introduce and to present this award to the
    National Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Kathy Mellor.

    Note: The President spoke at approximately 11:16 a.m. in the Rose Garden
    at the White House. In his remarks, he referred to Gov. Donald L.
    Carcieri of Rhode Island and his wife, Suzanne; and Kathleen Mellor's
    husband, Duke, and children David, Adam, and Paige. The transcript
    released by the Office of the Press Secretary also included the remarks
    of the First Lady, who introduced the President.