Terri Sewell congratulates Selma civics teacher Veronica Pitts on House Floor

On Thursday Rep. Terri Sewell took to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to congratulate Selma High School teacher Veronica Pitts for being named the National Civics Teacher of the Year by the Bill of Rights Institute.

Below is a copy of Sewell's speech on the House Floor: 

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate an extraordinary educator from my hometown of Selma, Alabama, Ms. Veronica Pitts of Selma High School, for being named the National Civics Teacher of the Year by the Bill of Rights Institute.

Each year, only one teacher in the nation is selected to receive this prestigious honor, and I am thrilled that this year, the teacher hails from Alabama’s 7th Congressional District.

Ms. Pitts exemplifies the very best of what it means to be an educator and a public servant. With a deep passion for education and a tireless commitment to her students, she has dedicated her career to teaching not just government and economics, but the importance of civic engagement and community leadership.

Through her engaging lessons, Ms. Pitts has helped her students understand that democracy is not a spectator sport—it requires informed, empowered, and active participants. Her classroom is a place where students don’t just learn about the government—they learn about their role in shaping it.

As the daughter of two lifelong educators who worked at Selma High School for over 36 years, I know firsthand the transformational power of good education, especially good education in Selma. I have seen what our students can achieve with the help of amazing students, amazing, teachers, and wonderful role models.

Teachers like Ms. Pitts do more than prepare our young people for tests—they prepare them for life. They nurture curiosity, instill core values, and light the spark of leadership that will carry students far beyond the school walls.

Located less than two miles up the road from the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge, it is only befitting that from Selma High School would emerge a teacher who is building the next generation of civic leaders, activists, and change agents.

After all, it was the people of our district who brought us the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These were ordinary Americans who dared to make this nation live up to its ideals of equality and justice for all.

On behalf of Alabama’s 7th Congressional District, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Veronica Pitts. We are all so proud of you, and we are grateful for the work that you do each and every day to create opportunities for our students to thrive.