09.19.16

Hoeven Honors Minot's Michelle Tweten Schmidt as Angel in Adoption

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today announced that Michelle Tweten Schmidt of Minot has been selected for the Angel in Adoption award, a national honor recognizing her outstanding commitment to helping children.

“Michelle’s passion for helping children is evident in both her professional work and her personal life,” said Hoeven. “As a special education paraprofessional, Michelle has spent more than two decades helping to educate special needs students. At the same time, she’s opened her home and cared for 14 children with varying disabilities. Michelle is truly an advocate for children and a deserving Angel in Adoption.”

Over the past 21 years, Schmidt has opened her home to 14 children of different ages and varying disabilities. She has provided many of them with long-term care, usually until they turn 21. Schmidt volunteered to care for many of the children to help provide their families with extra help or respite from dealing with the many needs that come with their disabilities. She has also worked with special needs students as a para educator in Minot Public Schools for the past 22 years.

Schmidt believes that opening her home has helped to shape her own two daughters, Shelby and Sheyenne. Shelby is studying special education and elementary education at Minot State University and Sheyenne volunteers with the Special Olympics and has completed service mission trips.

The Angels in Adoption program is the signature public awareness campaign of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI). It provides an opportunity for all Members of Congress to honor the efforts of individuals working in their home states to enrich the lives of foster children and orphans in the United States and abroad.

Hoeven has previously recognized Kevin and Paula Burckhard of Minot, District Judge Joel D. Medd of Grand Forks, Roberta Soper of Devils Lake, Sharon Maier of Fargo and Rod and Tracey Belzer of Ward County.

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