Recognizing Mark Otten

Floor Speech

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Mr. OWENS. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize an extraordinary Utah educator, Mr. Mark Otten, a teacher at Gunnison Valley High School in South Sanpete School District.

Mark has been teaching for 40 years at the same high school he once attended. He teaches 11th grade math and college algebra with one goal in mind: to help his students surpass him, and they do.

One of his students just ranked number one in Utah and number two in the Nation in the Trig-Star exam, beating Mr. Otten's own timed score.

Some of Mark's former students are now his doctor, dentist, and even his mechanic. That is the kind of legacy every teacher hopes for.

Mr. Otten says he is not ready to retire, and I hope he doesn't because Utah needs more educators like him: humble, committed, with passion for and belief in the next generation.

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