House Concurrent Resolution 111

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE PHENOMENAL APPROACH TO TEACHING AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT OF MS. BIRDETTE M. HUGHEY AND CONGRATULATING HER UPON BEING NAMED TEACHER OF THE YEAR FOR THE SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT AND 2011 MISSISSIPPI TEACHER OF THE YEAR.

WHEREAS, second-year Greenwood High School Algebra I instructor, Birdette M. Hughey, who left corporate America for the classroom, trading boardrooms for whiteboards, was chosen as the state's crème de la crème of the education arena upon being crowned the recipient of the 2011 Mississippi Teacher of the Year Award, after having being previously named Teacher of the Year for the Second Congressional District; and

WHEREAS, in what has proven to be a gift to the Greenwood Public Schools from the Teach For America Program of which she is a participant, Ms. Hughey, a Dallas native, has taken the education world by storm, imparting a lasting impression with her professionalism and classroom proficiency; and

WHEREAS, the daughter of a judge and a Wiley College vice president, who instilled in her the principle of dreaming big, Ms. Hughey carries forward that ambitious principle and holds those same expectations for her students, whom she has described as "some of the most eager and driven people" that she has ever met; and

WHEREAS, a testament to the passion, eagerness and dedication to her students, this Florida A & M University alum has employed the skills that were key components of her corporate success to gauge the strengths and weaknesses and learning styles of her students and to build upon the skills they possess to produce one of the greatest improvements in achievement level ever experienced in a school district, as evidenced by more than a 30% increase in the success rate of proficient or advanced on the state Algebra I test, from 51% in 2008-2009 to 86% in 2009-2010; and

WHEREAS, ever the driven individual, Hughey's destiny for success and services was birthed early in her process of matriculation as a Graduate Fellowship Research participant, Graduate Independent Study Director and recipient of Distinguished Presidential Scholar at Florida A & M University; Algebra I and II tutor, Bethel Baptist Church youth leader and ACT/SAT teacher; AmeriCorps Faith-based VISTA; Kimberly Clark Company intern; IBM Corp. intern; sponsor for the Distinguished Ladies of Maroon and White; member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.; founder of Dream Katchers, Inc.; having worked for Girl Scouts, Inc., and Johnson & Johnson; coaching cross-country track and field at Greenwood High School; and actively involved in New Green Grove Church; and

WHEREAS, the Mississippi Teacher of the Year Program, sponsored by the State Department of Education and the Mississippi Teacher Center, recognizes outstanding educators from across the state, whereby each school district selects a District Teacher of the Year from which an intensive selection process results in four congressional district winners being selected, and one individual being named as Mississippi's Teacher of the Year; and

WHEREAS, in addition to feeling humbled by the process and newfound acclaim, Ms. Hughey, as Mississippi's Teacher of the Year, will receive a onetime $5,000.00 salary supplement from the Mississippi Department of Education and will represent Mississippi in the National Teacher of the Year competition in her native home of Dallas, Texas, as well as traveling to Washington, D.C., to meet the President and First Lady and to participate in a Rose Garden recognition ceremony at the White House; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to recognize and commend outstanding individuals, such as Ms. Hughey, whose outstanding rapport with her fellow colleagues and more importantly with her students, translates into an impassioned zeal for transforming, enriching and positively molding the lives of those under her tutelage and instruction, past, present and future:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the phenomenal approach to teaching and student engagement of Ms. Birdette M. Hughey and congratulate her upon being named Teacher of the Year for the Second Congressional District and 2011 Mississippi Teacher of the Year, and extend best wishes as she continues to inspire greatness in the lives of youth through her superior and heralded teaching skills.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to Ms. Hughey, the Greenwood Public School District and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.