Floor SpeechNeutral2026-09-15

HONORING THE LIFE OF MAYTHA SEBASTO

TradeEducationAgriculture

Context

On 2026-09-15, Representative Jim Costa (D-CA-21) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING THE LIFE OF MAYTHA SEBASTO" in the House.

Full Text

HONORING THE LIFE OF MAYTHA SEBASTO

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E917] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING THE LIFE OF MAYTHA SEBASTO ______ HON. JIM COSTA of california in the house of representatives Tuesday, September 15, 2026 Mr. COSTA. Mr Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Maytha Sebasto, a beloved educator, mother, wife, and community leader whose dedication to her students and the Central Valley spanned more than six decades. Maytha entered eternal rest on August 7, 2026, leaving behind a lasting legacy of service, compassion, and devotion to her family and community. Born in Merced, California, in 1937 to M.O. and Bertha Richards, Maytha was raised in a pioneering Central Valley farming family. She graduated from LeGrand High School in 1955. Her commitment to education and teaching began early. In 1958 she began her career at LeGrand Elementary School, with a provisional credential. She went on to earn a degree in elementary education from Fresno State in 1960. In 1961, Maytha joined Fresno Unified School District, beginning a remarkable career that would span more than 37 years. She taught at Tielman, Birney, Columbia, and Ewing Elementary Schools respectively, before joining Ayer Elementary in 1990, where she continued teaching kindergarten until her retirement. An extradentary educator, Maytha, understood the importance of giving children a strong foundation. She brought music, art, culture, and agriculture into her classroom and inspired generations of young students with her creativity, warmth, and love of learning. Maytha's commitment to service extended well beyond the classroom. She taught catechism at St. Helen's Parish, served as a 4-H club leader, volunteered with the Fresno County Farm Bureau's ``Ag in the Classroom.'' program, and remained deeply connected to the agriculture community she called home. She was also a gifted storyteller, seamstress, watercolor artist, and beloved family chef. Maytha shared a remarkable life with her husband, Alfred Sebasto, Jr. After meeting at a church party in 1960, they married in 1962 and began their life together while Al was serving in the U.S. Army in Germany. They eventually returned to Fresno County, where they raised their two daughters, Alfreda and Theresa, and worked together on the family farm, cultivating hay, almonds, citrus, and dairy replacement heifers. Their life together was rooted in family, faith, agricultuie, and a deep commitment to one another. Even after retiring from teaching, Maytha continued to serve others as a substitute teacher for former colleagues, volunteering in agricultural education, working alongside her husband on the farm, and pursuing her love of art and travel. Her kindness, creativity, and devotion to others left an indelible impression on the many students, family members, and friends who were fortunate enough to know her. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Maytha Sebasto and recognizing her extraordinary contributions to generations of students, her family, and the Central Valley community. Her legacy as an educator, farmer, mother, and friend will endure in the countless lives she touched and in the values of service, family, and community that she so faithfully embodied. ____________________

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HONORING THE LIFE OF MAYTHA SEBASTO Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E917] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING THE LIFE OF MAYTHA SEBASTO ______ HON. JIM COSTA of california in the house of representatives Tuesday, September 15, 2026 Mr. COSTA. Mr Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Maytha Sebasto, a beloved educator, mother, wife, and community leader whose dedication to her students and the Central Valley spanned more than six decades. Maytha entered eternal rest on August 7, 2026, leaving behind a lasting legacy of service, compassion, and devotion to her family and community. Born in Merced, California, in 1937 to M.O. and Bertha Richards, Maytha was raised in a pioneering Central Valley farming family. She graduated from LeGrand High School in 1955. Her commitment to education and teaching began early. In 1958 she began her career at LeGrand Elementary School, with a provisional credential. She went on to earn a degree in elementary education from Fresno State in 1960. In 1961, Maytha joined Fresno Unified School District, beginning a remarkable career that would span more than 37 years. She taught at Tielman, Birney, Columbia, and Ewing Elementary Schools respectively, before joining Ayer Elementary in 1990, where she continued teaching kindergarten until her retirement. An extradentary educator, Maytha, understood the importance of giving children a strong foundation. She brought music, art, culture, and agriculture into her classroom and inspired generations of young students with her creativity, warmth, and love of learning. Maytha's commitment to service extended well beyond the classroom. She taught catechism at St. Helen's Parish, served as a 4-H club leader, volunteered with the Fresno County Farm Bureau's ``Ag in the Classroom.'' program, and remained deeply connected to the agriculture community she called home. She was also a gifted storyteller, seamstress, watercolor artist, and beloved family chef. Maytha shared a remarkable life with her husband, Alfred Sebasto, Jr. After meeting at a church party in 1960, they married in 1962 and began their life together while Al was serving in the U.S. Army in Germany. They eventually returned to Fresno County, where they raised their two daughters, Alfreda and Theresa, and worked together on the family farm, cultivating hay, almonds, citrus, and dairy replacement heifers. Their life together was rooted in family, faith, agricultuie, and a deep commitment to one another. Even after retiring from teaching, Maytha continued to serve others as a substitute teacher for former colleagues, volunteering in agricultural education, working alongside her husband on the farm, and pursuing her love of art and travel. Her kindness, creativity, and devotion to others left an indelible impression on the many students, family members, and friends who were fortunate enough to know her. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Maytha Sebasto and recognizing her extraordinary contributions to generations of students, her family, and the Central Valley community. Her legacy as an educator, farmer, mother, and friend will endure in the countless lives she touched and in the values of service, family, and community that she so faithfully embodied. ____________________