Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors presentation, Teresa Burchette

Aug. 22 - Today, I have a very special presentation, to an incredible lady with an amazing story of perseverance and determination.

To say that Teresa Burchette is a remarkable woman is an understatement. She went from working as a roustabout in a Wyoming oil field, to studying behavioral neurobiology at San Diego State University. Incredibly, she passed up an opportunity at the university to participate in a study on multiple sclerosis - in spite of her own battle with the disease. She instead chose to design and conduct a special NIH research study to better understand the mechanisms of fetal alcohol syndrome with the goal of helping those unfortunate children live a better life. Her multiple sclerosis went into remission.

While there, she was called upon by a colleague up in San Jose to fill in "temporarily" as a high school science and chemistry teacher due to an emergency. There, she discovered the wonder and complexity of teenagers!!! She developed a strong curriculum to better prepare students for the college experience -- and her enthusiasm exploded into a real passion for teaching and mentoring "her kids". Well, that little temporary "emergency" teaching job lasted for six years!

Unfortunately, the multiple sclerosis flared up unexpectedly -- her emergency teaching credential expired. She finally had to take the test for her full teacher's credentials around the same time her health started declining. Sadly, she didn't pass the test, but by that time she had much bigger problems.

Her health took a turn for the worst, and in spite of this, she took the subject credential exam time and again. But in her declining physical state, passing the exam was not to be.

Teresa was hospitalized for an extended time, and she went through such life threatening complications as pneumonia and sepsis. She lapsed into a coma, and the doctors talked to her family about making end of life decisions for Teresa. They doubted her ability to recover from a blood poisoning that left her on total life support, her organs failing, and unable to breathe without a respirator.

But she proved them wrong. She fought back against all odds, and after months of rehabilitation, we are so pleased to report that Teresa is in remission! Her recovery is nothing short of miraculous. Hard to believe that this is the same woman standing here today.

What truly moves me about her story is that, even in her darkest hours, fighting for her life in a hospital, she never lost sight of her goal to become a fully credentialed teacher. Upon her recovery, Teresa again took that teacher's certification and this time passed with flying colors. She is currently teaching marine biology at the Los Angeles Alliance for College Ready Students in Huntington Park. A teacher both in profession and in spirit, we could all take a lesson from this remarkable lady. A lesson about reaching out to help others, and of persevering through the darkest times.

We are so blessed to have someone teaching our children who is endowed with the personal strength and courage that Teresa has. You are an inspiration to us all and we know that your students will benefit from your selfless determination and devotion to them.

We also have here with us Teresa's principal, Laura Galvan,as well as some students from her school. I am also pleased to have here with us today Judy Burton, president and chief executive officer of the Los Angeles Alliance for College Ready Students.

On behalf of the Board of Supervisors, I would like to present Teresa Burchette with this scroll, in honor of her incredible spirit and to thank her for her commitment to teaching our children.