[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 33 (Wednesday, March 20, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S2178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO ELISE TOLLIVER OF NICHOLASVILLE

 Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I rise today to honor Elise 
Tolliver of Nicholasville, Kentucky for her most recent accomplishment 
in the field of education. Elise, who attends East Jessamine Middle 
School, was recently named a United States National Award winner in 
English by the United States Achievement Academy (USAA).
  The USAA, which was founded to recognize the outstanding students in 
America's colleges and secondary schools, received nearly 19,000 
nominations from junior and senior high schools across America in 2000-
2001. The USAA selects its winners based upon the recommendation of 
teachers, coaches, counselors, and other qualified sponsors and upon 
the Standards of Selection established by the Academy. The criteria 
includes a student's academic performance (the average GPA of all USAA 
members is 3.8), interest and aptitude, leadership qualities, level of 
responsibility, enthusiasm, motivation to learn, ability to set and 
achieve goals, citizenship, attitude, cooperative spirit, 
dependability, and recommendation from a teacher or director.
  Elise should be extremely honored and proud to receive such an 
honorable distinction from such a highly respected source. This award 
speaks not only to her ability to learn and apply her acquired 
knowledge but also to her ability to lead by positive example both in 
and outside of the classroom. As Winston Churchill so plainly stated, 
``The most important thing about education is appetite.'' Elise has 
proven without a doubt to her peers, teachers, and now the nation that 
she in fact possesses this ``appetite'' to learn and constantly improve 
upon her self-being. I applaud Elise's efforts and urge her to continue 
to reach for the stars. I will be very interested to see how far her 
reach will extend.

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