[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 70 (Friday, May 14, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E963]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page E963]]
 CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MT. CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL OCEAN SCIENCES 
                               BOWL TEAM

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. RANDY ``DUKE'' CUNNINGHAM

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 13, 1999

  Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, I am proud today to pay tribute to the 
students, teachers, parents and supporters of the Mt. Carmel High 
School National Ocean Sciences Bowl team that recently visited 
Washington, DC, for the competition's finals and won second place for 
the entire United States.
  This is the second consecutive year that the Consortium for 
Oceanographic Research and Education has hosted the National Ocean 
Science Bowl for high school students from across the country, the 
second time that Mt. Carmel High has won its regional competition and 
come to Washington for the semifinals, and the first time the team has 
made the finals. In doing so, these students demonstrated their immense 
dedication of months of after-school study and investigation of 
oceanographic sciences and the world around us.
  I would like to recognize each of the student team members by name, 
to honor their work and their extraordinary national achievement.
  Daniel Warren Heise is a sophomore (among seniors) on Mt. Carmel High 
School's competing NOSB team in San Diego. However, he also 
participates in the Speech and Debate program and in Mt. Carmel's Key 
Club. He has assisted at nursing homes and orphanages in recent years. 
He also plays soccer, football, baseball, and basketball in the 
community. Danny loves to bodyboard at the beach, go camping, sketch, 
and kickbox. While taking frequent odd jobs on the side, he also has a 
4.06 GPA. He aspires to attend a university and eventually travel much 
of the world.
  Jennifer (J.J.) Nielsen is Captain of the Mt. Carmel High School NOSB 
team. She has been working with the team since January 1998. she is 
very proud and excited to be a part of the competing team, and looks 
forward to representing Southern California at the National Competition 
in Washington, DC. Besides working with the Oceanography team, Jennifer 
is also a part of the Mt. Carmel's Yearbook staff, CSF, and Link Crew. 
Outside of school, Jennifer enjoys snowboarding, SCUBA diving, hiking 
and listening to music. She has also been a Girl Scout since she was 
six years old. After she graduates in June 1999, Jennifer will attend 
San Diego State University and will work towards a degree in astronomy 
and geology.
  Newton Quoc Quan is a senior at Mt. Carmel High School. This is his 
first year on NOSB team. He is also one of the senior captains at his 
high school's Varsity Lacrosse Team. He is currently involved in CSF, 
Link Crew, and Math Club. Newton currently has a 4.03 GPA and hopes to 
attend UCSD. He would like to thank all of his friends and family for 
all the support they have shown him. Newton would also like to 
especially thank Atish Baidya and Kevin Splittgeber for their 
involvement in getting him to join the team.

  Bradley Wilson Reddell is a senior at Mt. Carmel High School. He 
currently lives in San Diego California with his parents and his 
thirteen-year-old brother. He is a current member of the ceramics club 
and NOSB. His hobbies include reading Robert Jordan and Tolkien novels, 
creative writing and archery. He also enjoys playing computer games. 
Brad has found that studying for NOSB has been well worth the time and 
has come to enjoy the challenge. He plans to attend Community College 
for two years then plans to transfer into a university and pursue a 
major in biology.
  Lynn Sun is a senior at Mt. Carmel High School and is concurrently 
enrolled in the University of California, San Diego. She maintains a 
4.2 GPA and is a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist. She is also a 
member of the California Scholarship Federation and competes in Science 
Olympiad. She hopes to become a physician someday. In her free time she 
enjoys playing the piano, sketching, and skiing. Lynn would like to 
thank her parents, Huai and Jie Lin Sun, her coach, Harold Dorr, and 
all of her teachers and friends for their support.
  I also want to specifically mention a number of teachers, parents and 
others who have been instrumental in the success of Mt. Carmel High's 
National Ocean Sciences Bowl team.
  Harold W. Dorr is the coach of the Mt. Carmel High School National 
Science Bowl team. He is a science teacher at Mt. Carmel High School in 
the San Diego area where he teaches Oceanography and Zoology to 11 and 
12 grade students. He is also an adjunct professor at Palomar College 
where he has taught in both the Life Science and Earth Science 
departments and is presently teaching Physical Oceanography.
  Mr. Dorr has a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences from San 
Diego State University and a Masters of Science in marine sciences from 
the University of San Diego. Prior to becoming a teacher, he enjoyed 
five years working as a biological technician (fisheries) for the 
National Marine Fisheries Service and five additional years conducting 
various activities including teaching SCUBA, working as a diver at an 
oceanarium, and collecting marine biological data on various research 
projects.
  In Mr. Dorr's rare free moments he enjoys SCUBA diving, underwater 
photography, fishing, camping and motorcycling. He never gets his fill 
of sharing the ocean, mountains and deserts with his wife and three 
children.
  Keith Gretlein is a student at Palomar College and a member of last 
year's NOSB team from Mt. Carmel High School who competed in the 
national finals last year. Keith spent many hours working as assistant 
coach and assisting the students as they mastered difficult topics  and 
learned the game strategy. Keith brought the expertise of a former 
competitor and shared his insights regarding both academic material and 
how to have the most positive experience with the members of other 
teams. Keith emphasized that this is an opportunity to gain new and 
interesting friends!

  Sean Nesbitt, a student at University of San Diego, was also a member 
of the previous year team with Keith. Sean also worked as assistant 
coach and spent many afternoons and evenings teaching and helping 
students on their game strategy. Sean was instrumental in helping Mr. 
Dorr select the most competent and compatible team. His experience in 
this competition last year was invaluable to the team.
  Kara Lavender, a doctoral candidate at the Scripps Institution of 
Oceanography of the University of California San Diego, assisted this 
team by bringing the students up to date information about physical 
oceanography and assisting them as they grappled with topics that might 
be encountered as team challenge questions. Ms. Lavender demonstrated a 
gift for teaching as she brought complex concepts from her graduate 
courses and shared them in a very understandable way with the students.
  Scott Fisher, the principal of Mt. Carmel High School, consistently 
supported this NOSB team and allowed them to take trips, try new 
activities, take a few risks, and grow. Mr. Fisher recognized the hours 
of hard work and the sacrifices these students have made throughout the 
year and awarded the team a school varsity letter for their efforts and 
successes.
  And, of course, I want to recognize the hard work and sacrifice put 
forth by the parents of all of these Mt. Carmel High School NOSB team 
members, supporters and friends. Excellence in learning begins in the 
home. These parents deserve to be honored.
  Last, I want to pay a special thanks to my good friend, Admiral James 
D. Watkins. Admiral Watkins is the president of the Consortium for 
Oceanographic Research and Education, CORE, that is the sponsor of this 
annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl. Having tirelessly given his life 
and his energy to America through service in the U.S. Navy and in 
several Executive Branch appointments, Admiral Watkins continues to 
aggressively advocate for excellence in scientific education and 
research as the means to build a better tomorrow. By his will and 
considerable persuasive abilities, the National Ocean Sciences Bowl is 
bigger and better every year for all of the student competitors and 
supporting and sponsoring institutions. I am proud to have Admiral 
Watkins as a friend.
  Let the permanent Record of the Congress of the United States show 
that the National Ocean Sciences Bowl team of Mt. Carmel High School, 
in San Diego, California, has demonstrated the best of young America 
through vigorous study, teamwork, and good sportsmanship. They are 
champions of our community, and they exemplify what makes our country 
great.

                          ____________________