[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 24, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E275]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       RECOGNITION OF JOHN F. DEERING MIDDLE SCHOOL AWARD WINNERS

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                         HON. ROBERT A. WEYGAND

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 24, 1999

  Mr. WEYGAND. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a group of 
students who attend John F. Deering Middle School in West Warwick, 
Rhode Island. These exceptional young people recently participated in 
several different academic contests in Rhode Island.
  Eight seventh-grade students--Michael Casey, Michael Petrarca, Daniel 
Politelli, Robert Caires, and Ali Shihadeh--were statewide award 
winners of ``The Best Research Skills Award'' in the portfolio segment 
of the Providence Journal Stock Market Game Fall Competition. The group 
had the good fortune to be coached by Marcelline Zambudo and Tamara 
Casimiro, two dedicated teachers at Deering Middle School. Five other 
Deering students--Alyssa Lavallee, Kristin Capaldo, Colleen Pigott, 
Anthony Politelli, and Jarred Trouve--were award winners in a statewide 
writing contest in Rhode Island, and they were honored by having their 
writing samples and artwork displayed in the published book Mysteries, 
Monsters, Memories and more.
  In addition to these outstanding achievements, three other students--
Dannielle Vanesse, Danielle Crowe, and Danielle DeRosa--won the 
school's annual spelling bee for the respective classes. These three 
young women will now have the honor to represent Deering Middle School 
in the Regional Spelling Bee to be held March 6. Finally, of the forty-
eight students from Deering who participated in the National Geographic 
Geography Bee, three finalists remained after nine rounds of double 
elimination. Michael Petrarca won first place while representing the 7 
Platinum Team; Jarred Trouve received second place with 8 Orange Team; 
and Anthony Politelli came in third place with 8 Black Team. These 
young men benefited from the hard work and commitment of their 
teachers, Greg Kortick, Joseph Lancellotta, and Tamara Casimiro.
  We spend a lot of time in these chambers discussing the problems 
facing the youth and students of America, but I stand today to applaud 
and support the positive accomplishments of these young people and 
their teachers. Each of these students and teachers is a positive and 
important resource to West Warwick, and it is vital that we continue to 
recognize and build on the assets of our educational system. I thank 
these students and their teachers from Deering Middle School for their 
dedication and commitment to their academic pursuits, and I ask my 
colleagues to join me in congratulating each of them on their 
impressive accomplishments.

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