[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 81 (Tuesday, June 18, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1080]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING NATIONAL HISTORY CONTEST WINNERS

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                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 18, 2002

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, it is always a privilege when I have the 
opportunity to recognize a young person for a special accomplishment. 
Today, I feel especially fortunate to acknowledge a group of students 
who have used their talents to explore a wide variety of historical 
issues.
  I want to congratulate eight young women from the Fourth District of 
Minnesota who have embraced the subject of history and taken it one 
step further. These students not only participated in this year's 
National History Day competition, but also came away with national 
prizes. These bright, ambitious students worked as true historians in 
creating their projects--they were actual documentarians, playwrights, 
researchers, and curators. They applied what they learned in the 
classroom and used it in a real world setting.
  Anna Rice, a tenth grader from Central High School in St. Paul, took 
the prestigious Grand Prize in the National History Day competition by 
submitting a top-notch research paper. Anna should be very proud to be 
recognized as the Nation's top young historical writer.
  Caitlyn Ngam and Madeline Kreider, eighth graders from Capitol Hill 
Magnet School in St. Paul, won third place for their outstanding 
exhibit on tobacco reform. Their fellow classmates, Kirsten Slungaard 
and Meredith Pain, earned seventh place for their exceptional 
documentary on Tibet.
  Melissa Brown, Kaitie Cochrane and Lindsey Jans, seventh graders from 
Sunrise Park Middle School in White Bear Lake, walked away with a 
national prize for their performance of ``Separate But Equal: Brown v. 
Board of Education.'' These students also had the honor of performing 
their project at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of 
American History in Washington, DC.
  I am very proud of all the students who participated in this year's 
contest. The time and dedication they have committed to their projects 
should be commended. It is wonderful that these eight students received 
special recognition for their work. The fact that they were singled out 
among over half a million participants nationwide is astonishing.
  I will continue to lend my support to this important competition. 
Events such as the National History Day Contest not only give young 
people a chance to shine, but allows them to use their talents and 
creativity to make a difference in their communities.

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