[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 63 (Tuesday, May 4, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4661-S4662]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNITION OF THE WASHINGTON STATE CHAMPIONS OF THE ``WE THE PEOPLE . 
          . . THE CITIZEN'S AND THE CONSTITUTION'' COMPETITION

  Mr. GORTON. Mr. President, this week's Innovation in Education Award 
recipient is an award winning class from Tahoma High School in Maple 
Valley, Washington. Earlier this year 29 exceptional students from 
Tahoma High School in Washington state won Washington state's 
competition testing their knowledge of the Constitution. As a result of 
that victory, this past weekend they were in Washington, D.C. to 
participate in the national finals of the ``We the People . . . The 
Citizen and the Constitution'' program.
  The ``We the People . . . The Citizen and the Constitution'' program, 
administered by the Center for Civic Education, provides our elementary 
and secondary students a strong foundation in the history and 
philosophical underpinnings of the Constitution. That foundation 
ultimately promotes a sense of civic responsibility in these students 
and provides them with the means to act effectively within a democratic 
society.
  The final activity in this program, which took place April 30-May 3, 
is a simulated congressional hearing in which students ``testify'' 
before a panel of judges. Students demonstrate their knowledge and 
understanding of constitutional principles and have opportunities to 
evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and 
contemporary issues. I am happy to announce that I attended last 
night's award ceremony which the Tahoma High team won a regional award.
  I am proud of the achievement of these students and am happy to 
recognize them. They are Adam Baldridge, Mary Basinger, Josh Bodily, 
Sydney Brumbach, Katie Carder, Erica Chavez, Elizabeth Dauenhauer, 
Steven Dekoker, Meaghan Denney, Nathan Dill, Marisa Dorazio, Jesse 
Duncan, Jayson Hart, Jon Hallstrom, Carolyn Hott, Daniel Linder, Casey 
Lineberger, Clark Lundberg, Karrie Pilgrim, Michael Pirog, David 
Rosales, Jason Shinn, Jeremy Sloan, Justin Sly, Donny Trieu, Orianna 
Tucker, Jessica Walker, Raymond Williams, and Elizabeth Zaleski. I also 
recognize Kathy Hand, the Washington state coordinator for the ``We the 
People . . .'' program, and Kristy Ulrich, the district coordinator.
  Finally, I applaud Mark Oglesby and his assistant Stephanie Galloway, 
the teachers who have led their Tahoma High School class to this 
national competition, and have taught the past four

[[Page S4662]]

state championship classes from Washington state. That track record 
shows great leadership and dedication to the education of their 
students.
  I enjoyed meeting with the students this weekend and wish them the 
best for their future. They will certainly be well prepared for it.

                          ____________________