[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.