[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 95 (Thursday, July 16, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1318]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       RECOGNIZING VICTOR WALTERS

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                           HON. BOB SCHAFFER

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 16, 1998

  Mr. BOB SCHAFFER of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
the achievements of 8-year-old Victor Walters of Limon, Colorado who 
was recently named National Second-Grade Handwriting Champion. This is 
the second consecutive year he has received this national honor. The 
contest was sponsored by Zaner-Bloster, a manufacturer of pens and 
publisher of educational handwriting texts. Victor is the son of Ronald 
and Roberta Walters.
  Walters, who received his award and a $500 savings bond in a surprise 
ceremony at Limon Elementary School, was able to dash off the winning 
entry with a handicap. Victor's mother reported that the morning of the 
contest, his finger felt sore, but he decided to carry a Band-Aid in 
his backpack rather than wearing it on his hand for fear that it might 
hinder his writing style.
  The penmanship awards won by Limon Elementary School Students have 
prompted the University of Colorado at Denver to conduct a research 
project at Limon to look at the link between good penmanship and 
overall academic performance.
  As a Member of Congress representing the Fourth District of Colorado, 
I am proud of the accomplishments of this young man. Victor Walters has 
demonstrated his commitment to excellence and I congratulate him on his 
success.
  Mr. Speaker, I hereby submit for the Record a copy of an article 
about Victor which recently appeared in the Denver Post.

            Boy Hangs Tough, Nails Down 2nd Handwriting Win

                           (By Nancy Lofholm)

       Not even a hangnail can stop a national handwriting champ.
       Victor Walters, an 8-year-old from Limon, once again topped 
     125,000 other penmanship pupils across the country and was 
     named National Second-Grade Handwriting Champion today. The 
     contest was sponsored by Zaner-Bloser, a manufacturer of pens 
     and publisher of educational handwriting texts.
       Walters, who will receive his award and a $500 savings bond 
     in a surprise ceremony at Limon Elementary School this 
     morning, was able to dash off the winning entry with a 
     handicap.
       His mother, Roberta Walters, said he had a sore finger the 
     morning of the competition and was afraid he wouldn't be able 
     to write well. He opted to carry a Band-Aid in his backpack 
     rather than putting it on his finger, where it might hinder 
     his writing style.
       ``He was worried, but when he came home he was real 
     excited. He knew he did real well that day,'' said Walters. 
     ``He didn't have to erase very often.''
       What he didn't know until this morning was that he had won 
     the award for the second year in a row. His parents and 
     teachers in the Eastern Plains town of 2,500 wanted to keep 
     the award under wraps until Victor could be honored in front 
     of his 350 fellow students.
       ``He's been real antsy waiting to hear,'' said his dad, 
     Ronald Walters.
       Ronald, a case manager at the state correctional facility 
     in Limon, said his son's talent--one he doesn't believe was 
     inherited--has affected his own on-the-job script.
       ``My writing's not too good,'' Ronald said. ``I find myself 
     scribbling, and I think of my son and try to bring myself 
     back into line again.''
       Victor's back-to-back achievements, as well as Limon 
     student Bethany Head's win at the state level in her first-
     grade class three years ago, have also affected the school.
       Principal Valerie Bass said the University of Colorado at 
     Denver will be doing a research project at Limon to look at 
     the link between good penmanship and overall academic 
     performance. ``We're very proud. A lot of our students have 
     good penmanship,'' Bass said.
       Someday, Victor may be doing his bit to carry on that 
     tradition. He wants to be a teacher. His parents said he 
     plays school every day with his 5-year-old sister, Ashley, 
     and penmanship is one of the favorite play-school subjects.
       Zaner-Bloser gives out the penmanship awards annually to 
     promote good penmanship and also to publicize the pitfalls of 
     messy writing. The company has compiled statistics showing 
     that 38 million letters go undelivered annually because of 
     illegible addresses, 58 percent of information on hospital 
     charts is illegible and 66 percent of teachers say schools 
     should place a higher priority on handwriting.

     

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