[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 92 (Thursday, June 20, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1137-E1138]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             EAST KENTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL CONTINUES EXCELLENCE

                                 ______


                         HON. VERNON J. EHLERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 20, 1996

  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to 
recognize the outstanding dedication and effort of a group of students 
and their teacher from my district. The students are from East Kentwood 
High School and their teacher is Deb Snow. Earlier this spring, Ms. 
Snow and her 22 students competed in the We the People the . . . The 
Citizen and the Constitution national finals and won the region three 
award. The award is presented to five schools, from each of five 
geographic regions, with the highest cumulative score during the first 
2 days of the national finals. This remarkable feat was accomplished 
while competing against 49 other classes from around the country.

[[Page E1138]]

  The We the People the . . . The Citizen and the Constitution program 
encourages high school students around the country to better understand 
the history and principles of our Nation's constitutional government 
focusing on the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. After 
extensive preparation in their respective schools, students compete in 
a challenging 3-day competition that includes a simulated congressional 
hearing. During the competition the students are judged on their oral 
presentations, their knowledge of constitutional principles, and their 
ability to apply them to historical and contemporary issues. The 
program is the most extensive of its kind.
  I am extremely proud of the students from East Kentwood who made 
numerous sacrifices to represent our district and State in this 
competition. Advancing to the national finals and being recognized as 
one of the top schools in this competition is no easy task. These 
students made a commitment to succeed and followed through on their 
goals. The students who studied long hours to reach the finals were: 
Katie Bacon, Ryan Brubaker, Dan Bush, Brad Busse, Brian Busse, 
Nathaniel Cartier, Jamie Cassis, Stacy Corsaut, Michelle David, John 
Defouw, B.J. Desmond, Brian Dishinger, Ryan Eavey, Chris Frazier, 
Andrea Hudson, Mark Hulbert, Rachel Katonak, Winnie Lee, Kurt Leland, 
Chris Magnuson, Emily Peterson, and Beth Zoller.

  The students are not the only ones who give their all for this 
competition. They are fortunate to be under the tutelage of their 
teacher, Deb Snow, who goes above and beyond the call of duty of 
preparing students for this competition. Under her leadership, East 
Kentwood has enjoyed frequent success in the We The People . . . The 
Citizen and the Constitution program. Her dedication and passion for 
teaching should serve as an example for other teachers to follow. 
Congressional district coordinator Donald Fink and State coordinator 
Linda Start also play important roles in East Kentwood's success. Their 
guidance and planning efforts were extremely beneficial in helping the 
team advance to the national finals.
  Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to take this time to recognize the 
outstanding accomplishments of this team. The valuable lessons learned 
through competition and teamwork will help prepare these students for 
the challenges that lie ahead in their adult years. I want to thank the 
students and teacher Deb Snow for serving as excellent representatives 
of the Third District. Again, my deepest congratulations and my wishes 
for continued success in the years to come.

                          ____________________