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Thank you, Tom Houlihan, for that kind introduction. I want to thank the Council of Chief State School Officers for hosting this event.

And congratulations to all of the teachers from across the country represented here tonight, including the four finalists—Stanley Murphy (California), Vicki Lynn Goldsmith (Iowa), Tamara Steen (Washington state) and Jason Kamras (Washington D.C.). You're all winners. And, I might add, so are your schools and students. They're all extremely proud of you.

Jason Kamras, whom we honor today as 2005 National Teacher of the Year—the first ever from the District of Columbia—is one of those teachers who doesn't just instruct. He inspires.

Just ask the students from his math classes at John Philip Sousa Middle School, some of whom are here tonight.

Or the many colleagues from around the District whom he has mentored through Teach for America and other programs.

Or his principal, William Lipscomb, who says, "A lot of people are afraid of math, and kids get a little bit shy, but Jason has a way of instilling confidence in you." Jason, do you tutor Education Secretaries?

Jason's passion for his profession is clear. This math instructor treats teaching like a problem to be solved. How do you make mathematics accessible, engaging and fun? How do you raise the bar and motivate your students to clear it? How do you get that light to turn on in a child's eyes?

Jason spearheaded a redesign of math instruction at Sousa, using technology, field trips and games to bring the subject alive. (This includes something called "math aerobics." I wonder if it counts toward your "P.E." credits!)

He asked Principal Lipscomb to double instructional time for math. And he teaches an "early bird" advanced algebra class at 7 a.m., before school even begins.

The bottom line was the largest jump in achievement Sousa Middle School had ever seen. The percentage of students scoring "Below Basic" on the Stanford 9 Achievement Test in math fell from 80 to 40 percent—in just one year.

Jason believes that the nation has a "profound obligation to provide every child, regardless of background, the opportunity to receive a first-rate education." He believes our nation's most pressing need is to close the achievement gap. And he believes that teachers must ultimately be measured by student achievement.

For such views, some might dismiss him as an idealist. The results say otherwise.

Since his sophomore year in college, when he taught in a low-income school in Sacramento as a VISTA volunteer, Jason has worked to prove that while your environment may affect you, it does not have to limit you. The word "fail" is not in his vocabulary. But "overcome" certainly is.

This makes him a perfect fit for his school. Four years ago Sousa Middle School was recognized as a National Historic Landmark for its role in the court battles that defeated segregation. In 1950, Sousa tried to shut its doors to African-American students. Today it welcomes all.

No government program can substitute for a caring and challenging and highly qualified teacher. We want to see one in every single classroom in America. But wishes aren't enough.

So President Bush has proposed a Teacher Incentive Fund to attract in-demand educators like Jason to serve in demanding areas.

We're seeking financial rewards for teachers who make outstanding progress in raising test scores or narrowing the achievement gap.

And we are forgiving up to $17,500 in college loans for math, science and special education teachers in high-need schools.

Like all the fine teachers here tonight, Jason's influence will only grow over time, as his students go on to college, earn a living, and raise children of their own. Some will even pass along his passion by becoming teachers themselves. But his impact does not end there.

Jason's other classroom is the community. And a camera is the teacher. In 1999, Jason co-founded the EXPOSE Program, giving digital cameras to students so they can record snapshots of their lives for their neighbors and the world to see.

Click onto the website "exposeprogram.org" and you'll see the results: brilliant, colorful, original visual displays that tell a story about these students and the community in which they live.

If you've been to the Capital Children's Museum or One Judiciary Square at the right time, you might have seen their award-winning work up close.

It's another way Jason and his students are bridging divides and changing perceptions—you might say, turning "negatives" into positives.

For all of these reasons, we honor Jason Kamras. I'm sure part of him would prefer to go quietly about his business of making a difference, like he does every other day. But tonight, Jason, you are the one in the camera's eye. The spotlight is yours. And you have earned it, along with our deepest gratitude. Thank you.

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