CONGRESSMAN JOE MORELLE NAMES LOCAL TEACHER KAREN BAKER AS VIRTUAL GUEST TO STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

(Washington, DC) – On the heels of Public Education Week, Congressman Joe Morelle announced Mrs. Karen Baker, a 5^th grade teacher with the Rush-Henrietta School District, as his Hometown Hero virtual guest to President Biden’s State of the Union Address to Congress on Tuesday. While safety protocols mean this year’s in-person attendance will be limited, Rep. Morelle said inviting Mrs. Baker as his virtual guest is an important way to honor the people of Monroe County and uplift their stories.

“For this year’s State of the Union Address, I want to highlight one of the millions of hardworking teachers whose perseverance in the face of the pandemic sustained our children and fueled our nation’s historic recovery,” said Congressman Morelle. “People like Mrs. Baker are the true heroes behind America’s progress over the past year, and I am extremely proud to honor her as my virtual guest to the State of the Union Address. I am deeply grateful to Mrs. Baker and all of our local teachers for their tireless work to uplift students and families, and I hope this recognition shows how valued they are to our community.”

Mrs. Baker is a 5^th grade teacher at Vollmer Elementary School in Rush-Henrietta. For the past two years, she has taught entirely remotely to families who have chosen to have their children attend school virtually for a variety of reasons. In this role, she has gone above and beyond traditional duties to transition to a long-term virtual classroom that remains a welcoming, inclusive, and creative place for students to thrive.
 

Students and parents in her classes rave about how hard Mrs. Baker works to ensure children feel bonded despite the challenges of remote learning. She is one of many teachers who have quickly adapted to the circumstances brought on by the pandemic and never missed a beat in delivering quality, personalized education to her students.