| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution honoring Samuel Bennett as the 2005 Florida |
| 3 | Teacher of the Year. |
| 4 |
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| 5 | WHEREAS, Samuel Bennett left his job as a police officer in |
| 6 | the 1970s to attend school with one goal in mind: influencing |
| 7 | young students in a positive way by becoming an elementary |
| 8 | school teacher, and |
| 9 | WHEREAS, a skilled communicator who strives to keep |
| 10 | learning interesting for his fifth-grade students at Winter |
| 11 | Haven's Garner Elementary School and who places a strong |
| 12 | emphasis on parental involvement, Mr. Bennett has a master's |
| 13 | degree in elementary education, has 12 years of teaching |
| 14 | experience in Polk County, and is currently a doctoral candidate |
| 15 | in organizational leadership, and |
| 16 | WHEREAS, Mr. Bennett's love for his students and fellow |
| 17 | teachers extends far beyond the classroom in that he organized |
| 18 | efforts to help staff members whose homes suffered damage or |
| 19 | were destroyed in the 2004 hurricanes and organized the school's |
| 20 | Single Parent Association, a group that offers resources for |
| 21 | single-parent households, the development of which earned him a |
| 22 | Disney Teacherrific Award, and |
| 23 | WHEREAS, Samuel Bennett, known to his students as "Mr. B," |
| 24 | was, for his outstanding efforts, named 2005 Polk County Teacher |
| 25 | of the Year after being selected from five finalists from the |
| 26 | ranks of 177,000 public school teachers for the state title and |
| 27 | is currently one of four finalists for the title of National |
| 28 | Teacher of the Year, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 29 |
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| 30 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 31 | Florida: |
| 32 |
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| 33 | That Samuel Bennett is recognized for being named Florida's |
| 34 | Teacher of the Year for 2005 and for his continued dedication to |
| 35 | his students and fellow faculty members as well as for his |
| 36 | efforts on behalf of the young citizens who will one day become |
| 37 | the future of the great State of Florida. |
| 38 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be |
| 39 | presented to Samuel Bennett as a tangible token of the |
| 40 | sentiments expressed herein. |