[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 16, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E444]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE STUDENTS OF THE GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL FOR GOVERNMENT AND 
                         INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM BLILEY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 16, 1999

  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the outstanding 
performance of the students of the Governor's School for Government and 
International Studies of Richmond, Virginia in the ``We the People . . 
. the Citizen and the Constitution'' state finals held on February 9, 
1999, at the Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.
  After successfully competing against other students from Virginia, 
these bright and talented students will compete against more than 1,200 
students from across the country at the ``We the People .  .  . the 
Citizen and the Constitution'' national finals, to be held on May 1-3, 
1999 in Washington, D.C. These young students have worked extremely 
hard to reach the national finals and through their experience have 
gained a deep knowledge and understanding of the fundamental ideals and 
values of American constitutional democracy.
  This intense educational program was developed to educate our young 
students about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. These students 
work in teams and give oral presentations before a panel of adult 
judges who represent various regions of the country and a variety of 
professional fields.
  The student presentations are followed by a question and answer 
period. Throughout the contest, the students will demonstrate their 
knowledge of constitutional principles and their relevance to 
contemporary constitutional issues.
  The ``We the People . . .'' program has provided educational 
materials for 26.5 million elementary, middle, and high school students 
across the country. I value this program because it is an extensive 
educational program for students and teachers to discuss current 
constitutional issues.
  The students from the Governor's School are currently preparing for 
the upcoming national competition. I commend the students and their 
teacher Philip Sorrentino on their accomplishments thus far and wish 
them the best of luck at the national finals.

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