[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 59 (Tuesday, May 12, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S4744]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        ``WE THE PEOPLE . . . THE CITIZEN AND THE CONSTITUTION''

 Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, last week, more than 1200 
students from across the nation came to Washington, D.C. to compete in 
the national finals of the ``We the People . . . The Citizen and the 
Constitution'' program. I am proud to announce that the competing class 
for Kentucky represented Louisville Male High School. These young 
scholars worked diligently to reach the national finals by winning 
local competitions in the Commonwealth.
  The distinguished members of the class who represented Kentucky were: 
Angela Adams, Perry Bacon, Katherine Breeding, Will Carle, Eric 
Coatley, Courtney Coffee, Brian Davis, Mary Fleming, Matt Gilbert, 
Amanda Holloway, Holly Jessie, Heath Lambert, Gwen Malone, Kristy 
Martin, Brian Palmer, Lauren Reynolds, Shane Skoner, LaVonda Willis, 
Bryan Wilson, Darreshia Wilson, Beth Wilson, Janelle Winfree, Treva 
Winlock, Jodie Zeller.
  I would also like to recognize their teacher, Sandy Hoover, who 
deserves much of the credit for the success of the class. The state 
coordinators, Deborah Williamson and Jennifer Van Hoose, and the 
district coordinator, Dianne Meredith, also contributed a significant 
amount of time and effort to help the class reach the national finals.
  The ``We the People . . . the Citizen and the Constitution'' program 
is the most extensive educational program in the country developed 
specifically to educate young people about the Constitution and the 
Bill of Rights. The three-day national competition simulates a 
congressional hearing whereby students are given the opportunity to 
demonstrate their knowledge while they evaluate, take, and defend 
positions on relevant historical and contemporary constitutional 
issues. The simulated congressional hearing consists of oral 
presentations by the students before panels of adult judges.
  Administered by the Center for Civic Education, the ``We the People . 
. .'' program has provided curricular materials at upper elementary, 
middle, and high school levels for more than 75,000 teachers and 24 
million students nationwide. Members of Congress and their staff 
enhance the program by discussing current constitutional issues with 
students and teachers.
  The ``We the People . . .'' program is designed to help students 
achieve a reasoned commitment to the fundamental values and principles 
that bind Americans together as a people. The program also fosters 
civic dispositions or traits of public and private character conducive 
to effective and responsible participation in politics and government.
  I want to commend these constitutional experts on their academic 
achievements as participants in the ``We the People . . .'' program and 
commend them for their great achievement in reaching the national 
finals.

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