[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 30, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E803-E804]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN RECOGNITION OF THE 22ND ANNUAL CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION WINNER, 
                            MS. ELISE BAKER

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. E. CLAY SHAW, JR.

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 29, 2003

  Mr. SHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Miss Elise 
Baker, first-place winner of the 2003 Congressional Art Competition, 
``An Artistic Discovery''. This unique competition provides Members 
with the opportunity to showcase the artistic achievements of high 
school students within their districts, thereby acknowledging our 
Nation's gifted young artists. Since the first competition in 1982, 
nearly 5,000 local contests have been conducted, involving more than 
650,000 high school students. In its 22nd year, the competition has 
recognized Ms. Elise Baker for her outstanding artistic talent.
  Elise was born at Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on 
March 31, 1986. The daughter of Don and Susan Baker, Elise also has a 
12-year-old brother, Robby. For her elementary education, she attended 
St. Paul Lutheran School, where she developed a serious interest in 
art. Since enrolling at A.D. Henderson University School of Florida 
Atlantic University for middle school, she has taken a number of honors 
art classes and has been awarded as an outstanding art student on 
several occasions. Elise is currently a Junior at Grandview Preparatory 
School in Boca Raton, Florida.
  Elise's interests are not limited to the realm of art, and she has 
energetically pursued numerous extra-curricular activities. Fostering a 
lifelong love of dance, Elise began her formal dance education at the 
Dance Academy of Boca Raton during pre-school. She has studied ballet, 
jazz, tap, and modern dance and has performed in many student talent 
competitions over the years. She has furthermore been a member of the 
South Florida Youth Ballet, a repertory company which put on many 
performances in Palm Beach County, and has danced with the Miami City 
Ballet in ``The Nutcracker'' at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. 
Her colorful dancing background undoubtedly contributed to her 
leadership as captain of the Grandview Cheerleading Team during the 
past two years of high school. She has attended several Universal 
Cheerleading Association (UCA) instructional camps, from which she has 
been honored with various awards, including the opportunity to perform 
a cheerleading routine during the New Year's Day Parade in London, 
England in 2003. Last summer, Elise completed Culver Military Academy's 
six-week program in Culver, Indiana and earned her Tuxis Medal.
  Today, Elise enjoys babysitting and performing volunteer work in her 
spare time. She is a member of the First United Methodist Church of 
Boca Raton and actively participates in their Youth Group, as well as 
other youth-oriented activities in the area.
  Elise's natural gift for art runs in her family, as she is the great 
grand-niece of Edward Buyck, a famous artist from Albany, New York, who 
is renowned for his pre-inaugural portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 
1933 and for his countless works presently on display at the Governor's 
office in Albany and in the Smithsonian American Art Museum in 
Washington, D.C.
  As Elise's art teacher at Grandview, Mr. Robert Williams, said, `` 
`A' talent and hard work pay off.'' We would like to recognize both 
Elise's talent and hard work and congratulate her on winning this 
year's competition. We also wish her the best of luck in her pursuit of 
artistic studies in college, which she plans on continuing, 
particularly in the fields of decorating and fashion design.

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