[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 46 (Monday, April 18, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S3815]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   CONGRATULATIONS TO ``WE THE PEOPLE'' FINALISTS FROM THE STATE OF 
                                ARKANSAS

 Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, I congratulate students from Valley 
View High School in Jonesboro, AR for winning their statewide 
competition and earning the chance to come to our Nation's capital to 
compete in the national finals of ``We the People: The Citizen and the 
Constitution''. Led by their teacher Dana Shoemaker, students Jarrett 
Clark, Virginia Gray, Tyler Isbell, Zachery Lesley, Ryan McCormack, 
Ashley Perryman, Whitney Philamlee, Olga Redko, Elizabeth Renshaw, 
Laura Stahl, and Molly Throgmorton will join more than 1,200 students 
from across the country to take part in the weekend-long competition.
  ``We the People'' is a nationwide program developed specifically to 
educate young people about the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. 
The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, and it 
provides a unique and valuable opportunity for high school students to 
learn about the foundations of the Federal Government while spending 
time in Washington, D.C., the center of American civic engagement.
  It is a wonderful thing that these students have taken such an 
interest in government and the political system. The vibrancy of our 
democracy depends on the active participation of its citizens. And with 
every new generation, we are faced with the challenge of educating our 
future leaders in the value of civic engagement. I am happy that the 
parents and teachers of these students from Jonesboro are meeting that 
important challenge and that the students are taking an active role in 
their own education by participating in such an enriching program.
  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 and debate positions on relevant historical 
and contemporary issues. It is important to note that the Educational 
Testing Service--ETS, the world's largest private educational testing 
and research organization, 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 am delighted 
that the Valley View Blazers can take advantage of such a great 
opportunity.
  These 11 students from Jonesboro certainly deserve recognition for 
their hard work and talent. Through their knowledge of the U.S. 
Constitution and our political system, they have earned the right to 
compete at the highest level. I am proud that such fine young ladies 
and gentlemen will be representing my state on the national stage, and 
I am honored to acknowledge their accomplishment.
  I wish these students the best of luck at the ``We the People'' 
national finals, and I applaud their outstanding achievement.

                          ____________________