U.S. SENATE — U.S. Senator Steve Daines today recognized educator Lisa M. Cline for over 30 years of service as a K-6 STEM educator throughout the State of Montana.
Daines’ recognition in the Congressional Record is available here.
Through his “Montanan of the Week” initiative, Daines each week will highlight a Montanan by submitting a statement of recognition in the official Congressional Record, the document that reflects the official proceedings of Congress.
Daines welcomes anyone to nominate fellow Montanans for Daines’ “Montanan of the Week” program by calling Daines’ office at 202-224-2651 or by filling out the contact form on Daines’ website: http://www.daines.senate.gov/connect/email-steve
The following is the statement submitted to the Congressional Record:
MONTANAN OF THE WEEK
Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, I wish to recognize educator Lisa M. Cline for over 30 years of service as a K-6 STEM educator throughout the State of Montana. Mrs. Cline’s love of STEM, particularly biology, was inspired by her mother, Nancy Yonkee, who grew up on a ranch during the Great Depression-era and was among the first women to study Pre-Medicine at her university in the 1950’s.
Mrs. Cline grew up on a ranch near Broadus, and studied animal science at Montana State University, with the goal of becoming a veterinarian. Later, Mrs. Cline decided that she could have the greatest impact on her communities by sharing her love of STEM with children, and earned an additional degree, also from MSU, in education. In her time as an educator throughout the state, including in the communities of Bozeman, Plevna, Great Falls, and Cut Bank, Mrs. Cline has passionately brought to her students a love for the STEM disciplines that is grounded in her agricultural upbringing, her background in biology, and her genuine excitement about asking tough questions, solving tricky problems, and learning along the way.
Throughout her career, Mrs. Cline strived to bring a rigor to her classroom that prepares her students to become the best scientists, engineers and mathematicians. She does this both inside and outside of the classroom, working tirelessly over the years to organize innovative, inquiry-based assignments, student debates, local science fairs, field trips to archaeological sites, and voyages into the mountains. Most recently, she brought her sixth-graders to Glacier National Park, where they learned about its intricate ecosystems and rich geological history.
I want to express my deep gratitude to Mrs. Cline for her dedication and service to educating our country’s youth, particularly for cultivating within them a love for STEM and inquiry-based learning. And a big thank you to Dr. Angela Person for her nomination of Mrs. Kline for Montanan of the Week.
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