[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 62 (Monday, April 27, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H4737-H4738]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 MOUNT CARMEL SCHOOL COMPETING IN THE WE THE PEOPLE: THE CITIZENS AND 
                    THE CONSTITUTION NATIONAL FINALS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from the 
Northern Mariana Islands (Mr. Sablan) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SABLAN. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
  I rise to acknowledge an accomplished, dedicated group of students 
from my district. They are from Mount Carmel School on the island of 
Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, and they're here in Washington 
participating in the 22nd We the People: The Citizens and the 
Constitution National Finals. The program is funded by Congress through 
the Education for Democracy Act and administered by the Center For 
Civic Education, based in Los Angeles and in Washington.
  Each year high school students around the Nation take part in a 
rigorous course of study to prepare themselves for We the People. One 
thousand one hundred of them earned the right to come to Washington for 
the finals, which began over the weekend, by competing against other 
schools in their congressional districts and States. Today the top 10 
groups compete in the championship round right here in the Cannon House 
Office Building.
  In the competition, students serve as expert witnesses, testifying on 
constitutional issues as if in a congressional hearing. They are scored 
on their opening statements and on their answers to follow-up 
questions.
  Yesterday I heard these students speak with knowledge and insight 
about our Constitution and Bill of Rights. They were impressively well 
versed in the historical and philosophical antecedents of these 
profound documents, and they were able to field the most complex 
questions on these issues from panels of State Supreme Court justices, 
university scholars, attorneys and journalists.
  The Mount Carmel students earned the right to represent the Northern 
Mariana Islands by competing against other schools in my congressional 
district. They succeeded because they worked together and because each 
one of them gave their individual best for their team.
  I'd like to recognize them by name. Alfred Acosta, Kevin Bautista, 
Jalayne Benavente, Keolester Buenpacifico, Armalen Cabreros, Lourence 
Camacho, Cedie Chan, Augustine Chang, Hazel Doctor, Chiaki Hirosawa, 
Kevin Kim, Su Yoon Lee, Daniel Macario, Ryan Ortizo, Vanessa Sablan, 
Keno San Pablo, Jonathan Sanchez, Louise Villagomez, Rita Villagomez, 
A. Ram Yoo.
  I'd also like to acknowledge their teacher, Mr. Rosiky Camacho, their 
attorney coaches Joaqin Deleon Guerrero Torres, Judy Deleon Guerrero 
Torres, Vince Deleon Guerrero Torres and their coordinator Mr. Alfred 
Ada.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge an accomplished and dedicated 
group of students from my district.
  They are from Mount Carmel School on the island of Saipan in the 
Northern Mariana Islands; and they are here in Washington participating 
in the 22nd We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National 
Finals. The program is funded by Congress through the Education for 
Democracy Act and administered by the Center for Civic Education, based 
in Los Angeles and Washington.
  Each year high school students around the Nation take part in a 
rigorous course of study to prepare themselves for We the People. 1,100 
of them earn the right to come to Washington for the finals, which 
began over the weekend, by competing against other schools in their 
congressional district and States. Today, the top 10 groups compete in 
the Championship Round right here in the Cannon House Office Building.
  At the closing banquet this evening Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy 
will be honored with the 2009 Dale E. Kildee Civitas Award for his 
contributions to the field of civic education.
  In the competition students serve as expert witnesses testifying on 
constitutional issues as if at a Congressional hearing. They are scored 
on their opening statements and on their answers to follow-up 
questions.
  Yesterday, I heard these Mt. Carmel students speak with knowledge and 
insight about our Constitution and Bill of Rights. They were 
impressively well-versed in the historical and philosophical 
antecedents of these profound documents. And they were able to field 
the most complex questions on these issues from panels of State Supreme 
Court Justices, university scholars, attorneys, and journalists.
  The Mt. Carmel students earned the right to represent the Northern 
Mariana Islands by

[[Page H4738]]

competing against other schools in my congressional district on 
February 14. They succeeded because they worked together and because 
each of them gave their individual best for their team.
  I'd like to recognize them by name:

       Alfred Acosta
       Kevin Bautista
       Jalayne Benavente
       Keolester Buenpacifico
       Armalen Cabreros
       Lourence Camacho
       Cedie Chan
       Augustine Chang
       Hazel Doctor
       Chiaki Hirosawa
       Kevin Kim
       Su Yoon (Karen) Lee
       Daniel Macario
       Ryan Ortizo
       Vanessa Sablan
       Keno San Pablo
       Jonathan Sanchez
       Louise Villagomez
       Rita Villagomez
       A. Ram Yoo

  I'd also like to acknowledge their teacher Mr. Rosiky Camacho; their 
attorney-coaches Joaquin Dlg. Torres, Judy Dlg. Torres, and Vince Dlg. 
Torres; and their coordinator Mr. Alfred Ada.

                          ____________________