[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 111 (Thursday, July 31, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S8625]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         TRIBUTE TO TRUMBULL, CONNECTICUT'S WE THE PEOPLE TEAM

 Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise today to extend my sincere 
congratulations to the students of Trumbull High School, who recently 
won an award at the ``We the People * * * The Citizen and the 
Constitution'' national finals in Washington, DC.
  The ``We the People * * *'' program includes a comprehensive 
curriculum on the history and principles of American constitutional 
democracy. It culminates in a competition testing student teams' 
knowledge of the Constitution, structured as a congressional hearing 
with students testifying as constitutional experts. This innovative 
approach has received critical acclaim from educators and scholars 
alike, and the curriculum stands as a model for future educational 
programs. Students involved in the ``We the People * * *'' program not 
only gain an understanding of constitutional history, but many of them 
also show a much stronger commitment to democratic principles and feel 
more involved in the political process.
  The students from Trumbull High School were recognized for their 
expertise on Unit 6 ``Role of Citizen'' of the ``We the People * * *'' 
curriculum. I'm very proud of their accomplishment, and would like to 
recognize them all by name: Katherine Baker, Scott Baker, Heather 
Beardsley, Annette Besso, Andrew Braverman, Meredith Bryk, Christopher 
Cheng, Jonathan Chin, Jessica Cohen, Vimala George, Kristy Gordon, 
Travis Halky, Stephen Henshaw, Ryan Leichsenring, Jennifer Liu, Devon 
Nykaza, Nicole Perreault, Diane Perry, Anne Rackliffe, Sophia Rountos, 
Rachel Simonds, and Alan Stern.
  In February 1963, President John F. Kennedy said that ``the future 
promise of any nation can be directly measured by the present prospect 
of its youth.'' Frighteningly low voter turnout has recently raised 
concerns about public frustration with our political system. And yet, 
when I had the opportunity to meet with these Trumbull high schoolers, 
I was struck by the students' optimism and thoughtfulness about our 
great constitutional democracy. Their strong sense of civic 
responsibility provides me with great hope for our future.

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