(Washington, DC) – Sixth District Congressman James E. Clyburn has honored Carvers Bay High School Principal Daryl Brown with a tribute entered into the Congressional Record. The Congressman’s tribute coincides with the Milken Family Foundation’s Congressional Reception honoring its current National Educator Award winners that was held in Washington yesterday.
Milken’s Educators Award is one of the most prestigious recognitions for educators. Mr. Brown was one of two South Carolina recipients this year. He received a $25,000 monetary award for his excellence in his profession.
Congressman Clyburn joined Mr. Brown at the Congressional reception and recognized his outstanding achievement with the following tribute:
Tribute to Daryl C. Brown
The Honorable James E. Clyburn
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an individual who serves as a great illustration of all the good that is being done in our public school systems. Daryl C. Brown is the principal of Carvers Bay High School located in Hemmingway, South Carolina, one of the schools I proudly represent in this body.
Renowned educator and native South Carolinian Mary McLeod Bethune once said, "Invest in the human soul. Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough." The continued success of our public schools requires not just a financial investment, but also an investment in the lives our young people. Mr. Brown's work exemplifies Dr. Bethune's mandate. Charged with the challenging task of combining two rival high schools, he so successfully managed the consolidation that the biggest obstacle was selecting the school colors. On the first day of school, he held an assembly where he showed students a newspaper article predicting that the school would not be a success. He forcefully disputed that assertion, saying that Carvers Bay would become a blue ribbon school, a prediction that was met with a rousing ovation from students and staff. Well on its way to that distinction, the school has made impressive gains on test scores, added AP classes, and started an ROTC program considered one of the best in the area.
An innovative leader who is often the first in the district to experiment with new strategies, Mr. Brown created a Freshman Academy to ease the transition from middle school, even designating a separate wing for the program. He also began an initiative to provide breakfast for all of his students, making Carvers Bay one of the few high schools with such a program. Though his students have dubbed him "Papa Bear" after the school mascot, the profound transformation he has led at Carvers Bay is no fairy tale.
Mr. Brown's dedication and commitment have not gone unnoticed. The Milken Family Foundation awarded him this year with one of the most prestigious awards in teaching — the Milken Educator Award. Referred to as the "Oscars of Teaching," by Teacher Magazine the Milken Family Foundation's National Educator Award is given each year to approximately 100 of the most outstanding teachers and principals in states across the country. This prestigious recognition, which began in 1987, comes with a cash award of $25,000 for each recipient. These awards pay homage to the importance of quality teachers and to the significance of the teaching profession.
Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in honoring the enormous public service of Mr. Daryl C. Brown. We also congratulate him on his recognition as a Milken Family Foundation National Educator. Our nation prospers because of individuals like him.
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