Madeleine Dean: “It is always an honor to lift local heroes while on the House floor and to celebrate the dedication and service of our…”

“It is always an honor to lift local heroes while on the House floor and to celebrate the dedication and service of our educators. Today, I get to do both. Mr. Alex Frangoulis of the Goddard School in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, in my district was honored with the Goddard School's Teacher of the Year Award. With more than 3,200 applications, Mr. Frangoulis--or Mr. Alex as he is known to his students--shone as their national winner. Education is one of the most powerful gifts that we can give to our younger generations, helping them to forge their own paths with the knowledge, skills, and empathy they learn throughout their schooling. We as lawmakers have an obligation to ensure that all young students have access to the kind of high-quality early education that Mr. Frangoulis exemplifies. We have an obligation to fight for equitable funding of our schools, all of our schools, and we have an obligation to fight for universal pre-K. We know the difference that makes in a child's life and trajectory. We have an obligation to support our teachers in every single school district. Think of the difference a teacher in your life once made. Probably that teacher helped get you here. We must all do everything we can to ensure every child can receive a quality education from the very beginning regardless of household income, an education that inspires them, and a foundation that helps them grow, just as Mr. Frangoulis achieves in his classroom every day.…”