[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 23, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E527]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    CONGRATULATIONS TO NATALIA TORO

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 23, 1999

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Natalia 
Toro, who took top honors in the Intel Science Talent Search. Ms. Toro 
is a 14 year-old senior at Fairview High School in Boulder, Colorado.
  In winning this prestigious award, Natalia bested 40 finalists, who 
were selected from a nationwide pool of 300 semi-finalists. In 
addition, she is the youngest winner ever of the Intel Science Talent 
Search.
  Ms. Toro's entry was a physics project in which she studied 
oscillation of neutrinos, the most elusive of subatomic particles. She 
completed her research on this subject while participating in the 
Research Science Institute at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 
last summer.
  While I take pride in highlighting Ms. Toro's achievement in this 
competition, I am equally happy to salute her love of science and 
learning. I firmly believe that we can offer our children no greater 
gift than to instill in them a love of learning. The Toros are an 
example of how parental involvement can play a critical role in a 
child's intellectual development, as well as the child's overall 
success in life.
  Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pride to share with my fellow members 
of the House of Representatives the outstanding achievement of Natalia 
Toro. I would like to acknowledge her parents, Beatriz and Gabriel 
Toro, for inspiring her thirst for knowledge. The Denver Post Recently 
highlighted Natalia's achievement. Mr. Speaker I submit a Denver Post 
article to be included in the Congressional Record.

                 [From the Denver Post, July 14, 1998]

                        The Science of Nurturing

       Congratulations to Natalia Toro, who at age 14 already has 
     become a role model, especially for other first-generation 
     American youths.
       Natalia's proficiency in mathematics and science propelled 
     her into first place in the Intel Science Talent Search for 
     her work in high-energy physics. She is the youngest winner 
     ever in the 58-year-old contest formerly run by Westinghouse.
       With her prize $50,000 scholarship, the Fairview High 
     senior now plans to attend either Stanford University, the 
     Massachusetts Institute of Technology or the California 
     Institute of Technology.
       How did this daughter of Colombian immigrants achieve 
     academic excellence?
       Her mother credits Natalia's natural curiosity.
       ``She's very curious. And she's a hard-working person, and 
     I think she really has a passion for learning. I don't think 
     we did anything special,'' says Beatriz Toro.
       But while Natalia's parents won't take credit for her 
     accomplishments, they surely fueled her love of learning.
       Beatriz and Gabriel Toro came to America from Colombia in 
     1979. they chose to teach their only child English as her 
     first language. She learned Spanish later ``with our help,'' 
     her mother says, and is fluent in both.
       Toro, a civil engineer, and his wife, who has degrees in 
     psychology and nursing, sent Natalia to the small, private 
     Bixby Elementary School in Boulder, then to the public 
     Fairview. She also has attended classes at the University of 
     Colorado.
       ``Those schools, they did their part with my daughter.'' 
     Mrs. Toro says.
       But the parents did their part, too. When Natalia asked 
     questions, they tried to answer them. When they didn't know 
     the answers, they headed to the library to find the answers.
       ``I think the most important thing is that your kids are 
     happy,'' Mrs. Toro says. ``When you're telling the kid, `You 
     have to do this and you have to do that,' I don't think it 
     works. I wouldn't push a child.''
       ``It sounds funny, but I didn't do anything special with my 
     daughter,''
       That depends on what constitutes ``special.''
       Not all parents take a child's questions seriously enough 
     to research until they find the answers. But doing so surely 
     send the message that learning is fun.
       Not all immigrants are able to make sure their children 
     learn English before the parents' native language. But doing 
     so surely eases a child's way through U.S. schools.
       And not all families place a priority on happiness. But it 
     seems only natural that a happy child would be a curious, 
     alert and motivated child.
       We salute Natalia for the path she has taken, and we 
     commend her parents and her schools for helping her to find 
     that path. This is a girl who does Colorado proud.

     

                          ____________________