RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF PRINCIPAL NAN M. WOOD

On 2026-08-20, Representative Timothy M. Kennedy (D-NY-26) delivered a floor speech titled "RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF PRINCIPAL NAN M. WOOD" in the House.

RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF PRINCIPAL NAN M. WOOD

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 134 (Thursday, August 20, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 134 (Thursday, August 20, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E795-E796] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RECOGNIZING THE LIFE OF PRINCIPAL NAN M. WOOD ______ HON. TIMOTHY M. KENNEDY of new york in the house of representatives Thursday, August 20, 2026 Mr. KENNEDY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the late Principal Mrs. Nan M. Wood, a woman whose influence can be seen and felt throughout our community by students, colleagues, and community members. Throughout her life, she inspired others with her strength, compassion, and love of education, and cherished every moment shared with her family and students. Her greatest joy was her role as a devoted wife to her husband, the late Mr. John David Wood. Together, the loving couple were proud parents to Reverend J. Darryl Wood, Lauren Ducceschi, the late Dennis Wood, Minister Linda Parker, and the late Laina Kennedy. She later was blessed to become a grandmother, nurturing her grandchildren with the same kindness and care she gave to everyone in her life. Mrs. Wood was born on August 26, 1929, in Buffalo, New York, to Mr. Belton McCarley and Mrs. Mabel McCarley. She was raised with the strong support of her family from the very beginning, helping to shape her into a natural leader in all aspects of her life. She excelled academically, attending Buffalo Public Schools from kindergarten through twelfth grade, and going on to earn her Bachelor's in Elementary Education from SUNY Buffalo State. Following her graduation, Mrs. Wood began a nearly three-decade career in education, teaching elementary students throughout Buffalo Public Schools before transitioning to the role of Assistant Principal at Fillmore Middle School, and later to Principal at Buffalo Public Community School No. 53 in 1972. Community School No. 53 was the first Buffalo Public School to be under the leadership [[Page E796]] of an African American woman. Principal Wood began a transformative period of leadership focused on academic excellence, student enrichment, cultural exposure, and community engagement. Throughout the following two decades, she expanded educational opportunities by creating student travel, cultural and academic experiences across the United States, Canada, and Europe, while also advocating for additional school and community resources. Her commitment to students and families led to the establishment of community-serving programs and facilities, including a Home Economics Laboratory. By 1987, under her visionary leadership, enrollment at Community School No. 53 had grown to approximately twelve hundred students, making it the largest elementary school in the City of Buffalo at that time. Over the years, Principal Wood received numerous awards and accolades in recognition of her outstanding service and commitment to education, including the P.U.S.H. for Excellence Award, the Black Educators Association Educator of the Year Award, the RIT Distinguished Teacher Recognition Program Award, and the United Voices of St. John Distinguished Service Award. In addition to her educational honors, Principal Wood and her daughter, Lauren, were the first mother-daughter pair to serve as principals in Buffalo Public School history. Although Principal Wood retired from Buffalo Public Schools in 1987, she continued to carry forward her love of education, establishing the Belton and Mabel McCarley College Scholarship Program to support and encourage students across the community. Principal Wood was a faithful member of St. John Baptist Church, contributing her time and talents by serving as the Sunday School teacher, and narrating the United Voices of St. John's Sunday night musicals and community concerts. In her time of leisure, Principal Wood found joy in life's simple pleasures--traveling across the globe, reading to her grandchildren, and cooking for her loved ones. Mr. Speaker, Principal Nan M. Wood lived a life of devotion to her family, community, students, and faith. Her unwavering commitment to those she loved and her compassion towards others had a profound impact on all who knew her. Principal Wood was a woman who believed in the importance of equitable education, family, and faith above all else and worked tirelessly to support those around her. Her kindness, loyalty, and warmth will forever be remembered. Let us continue to honor her legacy by carrying forward the values she lived by: faith, education, and above all, love. ____________________