[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 45 (Thursday, March 15, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3197-S3198]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO HOOSIER ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS

 Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I wish today to share with my 
colleagues the winners of the 2006-2007 Dick Lugar/Indiana Farm Bureau/
Farm Bureau Insurance Companies Youth Essay Contest.
  In 1985, I joined with the Indiana Farm Bureau to sponsor an essay 
contest for eighth grade students in my home State. The purpose of this 
contest is to encourage young Hoosiers to recognize and appreciate the 
importance of Indiana agriculture in their lives and subsequently craft 
an essay responding to the assigned theme. I, along with my friends at 
the Indiana Farm Bureau and Farm Bureau Insurance Companies, am pleased 
with the annual response to this contest and the quality of the essays 
received over the years.
  I congratulate Courtney Larson, of Bartholomew County, and Chad 
VanLiew, of Jackson County, as winners of this year's contest. I ask 
that the complete text of their respective essays be printed in the 
Record. Likewise, I would like to include the names of all of the 
district and county winners of the 2006-2007 Dick Lugar/Indiana Farm 
Bureau/Farm Bureau Insurance Companies Youth Essay Contest.
  The material follows.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                 Feeding Our Bodies, Fueling the Future

                          (By Courtney Larson)

       Throughout the world there are many farmers working in 
     their fields to provide people in America and other countries 
     with food and alternate forms of fuel. Students in Indiana 
     would like to thank the farmers in Indiana and other states 
     for the sacrifices that they make in order to provide these 
     goods for us. Without this supply of food and fuel, America 
     would be different from what it is today.
       Farmers in the United States feed over three-hundred 
     million people in the United States every year, along with 
     millions of people in other countries. The major crops that 
     are grown in Indiana consist of beans, corn, and wheat. 
     Besides converting the crops into food, they can also be used 
     to make alternative fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.
       Alternative fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel can be used 
     to power farmer's equipment along with cars and trucks. These 
     fuels reduce emissions and make the United States less 
     dependant on foreign oil. One of the popular alternative 
     fuels produced in Indiana is soy diesel. This type of fuel is 
     a little more expensive than regular diesel, but it is a 
     cleaner product and it is more expensive because the amount 
     of soybeans that can be converted into fuel is limited. This 
     is not the only alternative fuel farmers have come up with, 
     but is one of the cleanest and will help keep us from 
     destroying the earth by reducing pollution.
       Overall, Indiana farmers will play a role in the future of 
     America whether it's feeding them or providing a source of 
     fuel. With all the crops farmers are now producing, America 
     will not go hungry in the near future and will have a cleaner 
     environment by using alternative fuels.

                 Feeding Our Bodies, Fueling the Future

                           (By Chad VanLiew)

       For hundreds of years Indiana farmers have been feeding the 
     minds and bodies of Americans. Additionally, Indiana farmers 
     are now being called upon for another equally important 
     purpose--fueling the future. Indiana farmers are now being 
     asked to play a huge part in the push to help the United 
     States gain energy independence from foreign countries.
       Just as American automakers are producing more fuel 
     efficient vehicles, Americans need to switch to more 
     environmentally friendly fuels, like biodiesel and ethanol, 
     to run these resourceful automobiles. Indiana farmers can 
     serve as a primary source of corn and soybeans, which will be 
     used to produce these renewable fuels.
       These two emerging fuel sources will increase the market 
     for corn and soybeans, enabling Indiana farmers to see higher 
     profits. This will in turn allow farmers to re-invest in new 
     techniques for increased production of these important 
     Indiana crops. Increased crop production will lead to an 
     improvement in the Indiana economy due to the increasing 
     demands for food and energy production by the American 
     people. Indiana farmers are in this unique position because 
     they can provide the products needed both to feed our 
     citizens and fuel our means of transportation.
       Because biodiesel is the cleanest alternative fuel 
     available, the United States needs to switch. Indiana is 
     fourth in the nation in soybean production. Indiana farmers 
     will play a major role in the production of renewable 
     biodiesel and ethanol. America needs to switch to home grown 
     fuel, so we can become energy independent. Indiana farmers 
     will then be not only feeding our bodies, but fueling our 
     future.

                    2006-2007 District Essay Winners


                               District 1

       Elizabeth Quinn, Highland and Matthew Thomas, Elkhart.


                               District 2

       Kyrsten Bonine, Fort Wayne and Matthew Hamlin, 
     Kendallville.


                               District 3

       Antonio Arzola, Logansport and Lesley Park, Rensselaer.


                               District 4

       Kayla Priday, Kokomo and Jacob Mossburg, Uniondale.


                               District 5

       Fayaaz Khatri, Brownsburg and Hannah Chew, Cayuga.


                               District 6

       Trent Van Winkle, Indianapolis and Molly Scripture, 
     Richmond.


                               District 7

       Quinton Heffner, Center Point and Lillian Hayhurst, Terre 
     Haute.


                               District 8

       Courtney Larson, Columbus and Alex McCool, Brookville.


                               District 9

       Mark Turner, Princeton and Sarah Smotherman, New Harmony.


                              District 10

       Chad VanLiew, Seymour and Koralyssa Graham, Batesville.

                     2006-2007 County Essay Winners


                                 Adams

       Corey Marbach and Hannah Conrad, St. Peter Immanuel 
     Lutheran School.


                                 Allen

       Ryan Spieth, St. Louis Academy, and Kyrsten Bonine, 
     Ascension Lutheran School.


                              Bartholomew

       Conner Bonnell and Courtney Larson, Central Middle School.


                                 Benton

       Trent Hasser, Benton Central Junior High School, and Sarah 
     Dobson, Tri-County Middle School.


                                 Brown

       Allison Wooton, Home School.


                                  Cass

       Antonio Arzola, Columbia Middle School, and Bailey Farrer, 
     Pioneer Junior High School.


                                  Clay

       Quinton Heffner and LaKyla Cook, Clay City Junior High 
     School.


                                Dearborn

       Samuel Martin, Home School.


                                 DeKalb

       Colin Malcolm and Kathryn Conrad, Eastside Junior High 
     School.


                                Elkhart

       Michael Lenezycki and Chloe Floyd, North Side Middle 
     School.


                                 Floyd

       Tyler Samples and Mary Beth Mattingly, Our Lady of 
     Perpetual Help School.


                                Fountain

       Julie McGrady, Fountain Central Junior High School.


                                Franklin

       Alex McCool and Megan Roberts, St. Michael School.


                                 Fulton

       Morgan Herrold, Caston Junior High School.


                                 Gibson

       Mark Turner, Princeton Middle School.


                                 Greene

       David Hestand and Ariel Fuller, Bloomfield Junior High 
     School.


                                Hamilton

       Ben Mueller and Kaitlin Payne, Carmel Middle School.


                               Hendricks

       Fayaaz Khatri, Brownsburg East Middle School, and Chandler 
     Courtney, Tri West Middle School.


                                 Henry

       Josh Rea and Danielle Reamer, Tri Junior High School.


                                 Howard

       Alec Smith and Kayla Priday, Northwestern Middle School.


                                Jackson

       Chad VanLiew and Ellyn Jones, Immanuel Lutheran School.


                                 Jasper

       Justin Cook and Lesley Park, Rensselaer Middle School.


                                  Jay

       Steve Alig and Elaine Hemmelgarn, East Jay Middle School.


                                Jennings

       Sophia Biehle, St. Mary School.


                                Johnson

       Nick Roeder and Lindsey Winneroski, Center Grove Middle 
     School.


                                  Lake

       Nicholas Vazquez and Elizabeth Quinn, Our Lady of Grace 
     School.


                                 Marion

       Trent VanWinkle and Regina Huston, Immaculate Heart of Mary 
     School.

[[Page S3198]]

                                Marshall

       Josh Zehner and Amanda Master, St. Michael School.


                                 Miami

       Sarah Correll, Peru Junior High School.


                                 Monroe

       Danton Rogers and Danyelle Burton, Batchelor Middle School.


                                 Morgan

       Dakota Owen and Kirsten Hardin, Eminence Junior High 
     School.


                                 Newton

       Sadie Cole, Tri-County Middle School.


                                 Noble

       Matthew Hamlin and Anna Pasquali, Kendallville Middle 
     School.


                                 Parke

       Devon Gray and Chelsea Stone, Rockville Junior High School.


                                 Perry

       Erika Hauenstein, Tell City Junior High School.


                                 Posey

       Joey Priest, North Posey Junior High School, and Sarah 
     Smotherman, New Harmony School.


                                Pulaski

       Joyce Bangel, Winamac Community Middle School.


                                Randolph

       Matt Friend and Kristen West, Driver Middle School.


                                 Ripley

       Jack Gutzwiller and Koralyssa Graham, St. Louis School.


                               St. Joseph

       Matthew Thomas and Mary Bonadies, St. Matthew Cathedral 
     School.


                                 Scott

       Cyndll Harqis, Scottsburg Middle School.


                                Spencer

       Nick Pledger, Heritage Hills Middle School.


                                 Starke

       Quinn Biddle and Lauren Jernas, Oregon-Davis Junior High 
     School.


                                Sullivan

       Brittany Bezy, Carlisle Junior High School.


                               Tippecanoe

       Claire Paschen, Klondike Middle School.


                               Vermillion

       Zane Yoho and Hannah Chew, North Vermillion Junior High 
     School.


                                  Vigo

       Joseph Botros and Lillian Hayhurst, Honey Creek Middle 
     School.


                                 Wabash

       Tanner McCarty, Northfield Junior High School, and 
     Elizabeth Schilling, Manchester Junior High School.


                               Washington

       Jeffrey Strother and Alandra Bishop, West Washington Junior 
     High School.


                                 Wayne

       Joel Stocksdale and Molly Scripture, Seton Catholic School.


                                 Wells

       Jacob Mossburg, Home School, and Acacia Herr, Southern 
     Wells Junior High School.


                                 White

       Zeph Bickett and Alex Daker, Tri-County Middle 
     School.

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