HENDRY COUNTY — Stephanie Busin, the Hendry County School Board member from District 4 and self-described rural education activist, was recently recognized in honor of Women’s History Month by Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart.

Diaz-Balart said: “Madam Speaker, in honor of Women’s History Month, I rise today to recognize Stephanie Busin, for her unwavering dedication to her community. She has been a steadfast activist supporting children’s education initiatives and has left an impressive and unforgettable mark on Southern Florida.” Diaz-Balart went on to describe Busin’s background, “Born in Pahokee, Stephanie is a third generation Hendry County native and has spent her life giving back to her community. After graduating from Clewiston High School in 1996, she enrolled in Santa Fe College in Gainesville. However, her interest in journalism brought her home, where she joined the Clewiston News staff. It is during this time period that she found her passion for education, which later led to her becoming an integral member of the Hendry County School Board in 2014. Presently, she serves as the chairman of Hendry’s School Board.

“Stephanie has been a passionate advocate for raising awareness for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in her community, particularly among law enforcement officers. In fact, in 2017, she created a training program, LAWTISM, which educates officers on how to identify and properly respond to people who may have ASD. She also championed autism awareness in the classroom, by establishing a nonprofit that fundraised to create the Educators Affecting Autism Classroom Grants. These grants, which are an award of $250, are used to support the sensory and academic needs of students who are on the autism spectrum,” the accolades from Diaz-Balart continued.

Diaz-Balart is currently serving his ninth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, for Florida’s 25th Congressional District.

He went on to commend Busin for her determination. “Stephanie’s dedication to community service is of the highest caliber, and her selfless character is truly demonstrated in the work she has done. It would be remiss to celebrate Stephanie without recognizing her loving husband, Tony, and her two greatest treasures, her sons Anthony and Baron. The love and support Stephanie receives from her family allows her to be a leader and activist in her community.” Diaz-Balart continued, “Madam Speaker, it is truly a privilege to honor my good friend, Stephanie Busin, for the impressive work she has done for Southern Florida. Her commitment, perseverance, and drive cannot be matched, and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing this remarkable individual.”

“Thank you to everyone for your kind words. This is an incredible (and very unexpected) honor. I’m so very blessed with a remarkable and inspirational community and family to love,” Busin responded, in a post on her Facebook page.

She also commented, “I was surprised, deeply honored and entirely overwhelmed yesterday when Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart revealed his very kind acknowledgment in honor of Women’s History Month within the United States of America’s Congressional Record. I am honored to serve the children of Hendry County and indescribably blessed by the sense of purpose they inspire each day.”

For more information you can visit Stephanie Busin’s Facebook page here: facebook.com/StephanieSchneiderBusin/.