Teacher of the Year & National Award Winning Educator to Join Cicilline at State of the Union

WASHINGTON, DC– Newport Elementary School Teacher Dale Blaess will join U.S. Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI) as his guest for the President’s State of the Union Address next Tuesday, January 25th. Blaess teaches kindergarten at William J. Underwood Elementary School in Newport.

She was recently recognized for her outstanding teaching abilities with the Milken Family Foundation Award. Blaess has shown a real commitment to Rhode Island children during their most important years of development. She was also recently honored for being Newport’s Teacher of the Year.

In a letter invitation asking Blaess to join him at the State of the Union address, Cicilline said, “I am proud of your service to the State of Rhode Island and to the children whose lives you shape each day. There is no responsibility more important than providing our young people with the best education we can to compete and succeed in the global economy, and that begins with an excellent teacher. Our students are competing with children not just from neighboring cities and towns but from China, Japan, India and the world.

“An exceptional teacher is the most important part of that education. I am also reminded of the responsibility my colleagues in Congress and I share in making sure our young people have access to a first-rate education.”

Cicilline continued in his invitation to Blaess, “The work for which you have committed your life, and the ways in which you continue to be such a positive influence within your professional community and among those you serve is truly remarkable.”

The Milken Family Foundation Award was created in 1987 by leading education reformer Lowell Milken to recognize devoted public school teachers. Over the past 24 years, the Foundation has awarded more than $60 million to 2400 educators.