[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 59 (Wednesday, April 28, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E805]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING EAST HIGH SCHOOL AND THE ``WE THE PEOPLE . . . THE CITIZEN 
                     AND THE CONSTITUTION'' PROGRAM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DIANA DeGETTE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 28, 1999

  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the ``We the People  . 
. . The Citizen and the Constitution'' program, and specifically to 
applaud the East High School team that has come to Washington this year 
to represent Colorado in the national finals. These young scholars have 
worked diligently to make it to the finals and their hard work has 
gained them a deep knowledge and understanding of the fundamental 
principles and values of our constitutional democracy.
  The names of the students are: Sarah Blum-Barnett, John Boisclair, 
Kristin Brauer, Elizabeth Clarke, Andrew Cundiff, Jocelyn Dudley, 
Michelle Ford, Lindsay Gilchrist, Michael Kaplan, Beth Linas, Natalie 
Lindhorst-Ballast, Brett Lockspeiser, Elizabeth McCartney, Anne 
McWilliams, Adam Mueller, Dan Murphy, Tristan Nelson, Brandi Raiford, 
Nathan Rose, Jeremy Schulman, Jeffrey Seversen, Ellen Strickland, 
Allison Tease. Additionally, I would like to commend their teacher 
Deanna Morrison who deserves much of the credit for the success of this 
great team and recognize both the District Coordinator, Loyal Darr, and 
the State Coordinator, Barbara Miller.
  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 is modeled after 
hearings in the United States Congress. These hearings consist of oral 
presentations by the students acting as constitutional experts before a 
``congressional committee'' made up of a panel of judges acting as 
Members. The student testimony is followed by a period of questioning 
during which the judges probe students for their depth of understanding 
and ability to apply their constitutional knowledge.
  I know first hand how well this program works because I was a 
volunteer coach for years at a high school back in my district in 
Denver, whose students have done extraordinarily well in the We the 
People. . . . competitions over the last decade. East High School has 
been among the top ten finalists 9 times in the last 11 years, and they 
won the competition in 1992.
  Once again, I commend the East team for winning the State competition 
and I wish them the best of luck in the upcoming competition. I know 
Colorado will be well represented in the finals.

                          ____________________