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2008 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 555
Commending Douglas Graney.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 5, 2008
Agreed to by the Senate, March 6, 2008

 

WHEREAS, Douglas Graney, an exemplary teacher at Herndon High School, received the Horace Mann Award as one of five distinguished national finalists for the 2008 National Education Association (NEA) Member Benefits Award for Teaching Excellence; and

WHEREAS, the NEA Foundation Awards for Teaching Excellence recognize, reward, and promote excellence in teaching and advocacy for the profession and are presented jointly by the NEA Foundation and the National Education Association; and

WHEREAS, as a recipient of the Horace Mann Awards for Teaching Excellence, Douglas Graney received a personal gift of $10,000 from the Horace Mann Companies, and the I CAN Learn Award for Teaching Excellence; he was honored at the NEA Foundation's 13th Annual Salute to Excellence in Education Gala at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., on February 8, 2008; and

WHEREAS, Douglas Graney received his bachelor’s degree in education from Buffalo State University and his master’s degree from Courtland College, both in New York; and

WHEREAS, nominated for the award by the Virginia Education Association, Douglas Graney had to present a lesson to five jurors at the NEA Foundation headquarters in Washington, D.C., after he was selected as a finalist; and

WHEREAS, an inspirational and dedicated educator, Douglas Graney has been teaching United States and Virginia government, as well as political science and philosophy, at Herndon High School since 1993, and he always tries to incorporate real-world experiences into his instruction; and

WHEREAS, determined to take advantage of all the resources in the Washington, D.C., area, Douglas Graney organizes many field trips, taking his students to see a member of Congress, visit an embassy, or meet with an interest group; he has also created a political science internship program through which students work as interns on Capitol Hill or in government-related organizations; and

WHEREAS,  Douglas Graney was selected to serve on the End-of-Course History and Social Science Content Area Committee for the Standards of Learning Assessment for the Virginia Department of Education in 2004, and he was inducted into the National Honor Roll’s Outstanding American Teachers in 2007; and

WHEREAS, the NEA Foundation praised Douglas Graney for consistently challenging his students and encouraging them to reach their full potential, noting that the influence of teachers such as Douglas Graney on their students and public education cannot be underestimated; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend and congratulate Douglas Graney on receiving the NEA’s Horace Mann Award; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Douglas Graney as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect and admiration for his commitment to the students of Herndon High School.