[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 51 (Monday, May 1, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S3185]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    WOODBRIDGE HIGH STUDENTS SELECTED AS FINALISTS IN CIVICS PROGRAM

 Mr. BIDEN. Mr. President, I am pleased to rise today to 
congratulate 15 students and their teacher, Ms. Barbara Hudson, from 
Woodbridge High School in Bridgeville, DE, for their outstanding 
achievement in qualifying as finalists of the ``We the People . . . The 
Citizen and the Consitiution'' program.
  This program is administered by the Center for Civic Education which 
provides curricular materials at upper elementary, middle, and high 
school levels for more than 26.5 million students nationwide. These 
materials assist students in obtaining a working knowledge of our 
Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the principles of democratic 
government.
  Next, ``We the People'' conducts a 3-day competition which tests a 
student's knowledge of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. A mock 
Congressional committee hearing is conducted in which the students 
testify and then respond to questions on Constitutional issues before a 
panel of judges.
  This demanding competition takes hard work and diligence to reach the 
national finals, which are being held in Washington, D.C. from May 6 to 
May 8, 2000. I am pleased to congratulate those students from 
Woodbridge High School who will be participating in the final stage of 
this competition: Jennifer Blackwell, Steve Breeding, Jarelle Bruso, 
John Conner, Rachel Dawson, Shawnita Dorman, Chelsea Ferrell, Adam 
Hickman, Jerome Holder, Nick LaRusso, Kat Leiter, Jennifer Sheets, 
Latoya Thompson, Robert Tribbett, and Jessica Umstetter. Together with 
the help of their teacher, Ms. Hudson, they successfully learned and 
applied a deep knowledge and understanding of the fundamental 
principles and values of our constitutional democracy. Their knowledge 
will be tested yet again during the national finals, where they will 
compete with more than 1,200 students from throughout the United 
States.
  It is exciting to see these young people from Delaware and so many 
other students from across the Nation expressing interest in our 
country's Government. Programs such as ``We the People'' help to 
inspire new generations of leaders. These students from Woodbridge High 
School are shining examples of the promise bright young people offer 
the future of this country.
  It is my honor to recognize these students who represent excellence 
in Delaware scholastics, and I am sure that my fellow Delawareans join 
me in wishing these young ``Constitutional experts'' the best of luck 
during the upcoming competition.

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