[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 36 (Monday, April 4, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S3140]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            WE THE PEOPLE: THE CITIZEN AND THE CONSTITUTION

 Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, from April 30 through May 2, 2005, 
more than 1,200 students from across the United States will visit 
Washington, D.C. to take part in the national finals of ``We the 
People: The Citizen and the Constitution,'' the most extensive 
educational program in the country developed specifically to educate 
young people about the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. 
Administered by the Center for Civic Education, the We the People 
program is funded by the U.S. Department of Education by act of 
Congress.
  I am proud to report that a class from East Grand Rapids High School 
from Grand Rapids will represent the State of Michigan in this 
prestigious national event. These outstanding students, through their 
knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, won their statewide competition and 
earned the chance to come to our Nation's capital and compete at the 
national level.
  While in Washington, the students will participate in a 3-day 
academic competition that simulates a congressional hearing in which 
they ``testify'' before a panel of judges. Students demonstrate their 
knowledge and understanding of constitutional principles and have 
opportunities to evaluate, adopt, and defend positions on relevant 
historical and contemporary issues. It is important to note that the 
Educational Testing Service, ETS, characterizes the We the People 
program as a ``great instructional success.'' Independent studies by 
ETS have revealed that We the People students ``significantly 
outperformed comparison students on every topic of the tests taken.''
  I congratulate East Grand Rapids students John Abraham, Ted Bosch, 
Ross Brenneman, Katherine Fasse, Bill Frayer, Kyle Fuller, Joe 
Gallmeyer, Will Gallmeyer, Katherine Harger, Jimmy Hogan, Christina 
Kim, Peter Meyer, Lenard Robert, Sarah Stevens, Tully Svekric, Alyssa 
Titche, Gab Tourek, Dimitri Wohns and their teacher, Pierre A. Sirois.
  I wish these students the best of luck at the We the People national 
finals and applaud their outstanding achievement.

                          ____________________