[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 66 (Wednesday, May 5, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E765-E766]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   2010 WE THE PEOPLE NATIONAL FINALS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. RUBEN HINOJOSA

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 5, 2010

  Mr. HINOJOSA. Madam Speaker, from April 24-26, 2010 more than 1,200 
students from across the country visited Washington, DC to take part in 
the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution National Finals. We 
the People is the most extensive educational program in the country 
that educates 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 under the 
Education for Democracy Act approved by the United States Congress.
  I am proud to announce that a class from Lamar Academy in my 
congressional district represented the state of Texas at this 
prestigious national event. These exceptional 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 participated in a three-day 
academic competition that simulates a congressional hearing in which 
students demonstrate their knowledge and skills as they evaluate, take, 
and defend positions on historical and contemporary constitutional 
issues. Annual surveys consistently show that high school students who 
take part

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in the We the People academic competition outperform national samples 
of high school students participating in the National Assessment of 
Educational Progress political test by at least 22 percent.
  Madam Speaker, the outstanding students from Lamar Academy who 
participated include:
  Aaron Barreiro, Rebecca Basaldua, Victoria Brown, Cameron Crane, 
Vincent Honrubia, Ali Lopez, Vanessa Lopez, George Mendoza, Luciana 
Milano, Daniela Montemayor, Patrick Muniz, Jorge Salazar, Paola 
Salazar, Katy Schaffer, Clark Scroggin, Rodrigo Velasquez, and Tori 
Velasquez.
  I also wish to commend the teacher of the class, LeAnna Morse, who is 
responsible for preparing these young constitutional experts for the 
National Finals. Also worthy of special recognition are Jan Miller, the 
state coordinator, and Mick West, the district coordinator who are 
responsible for implementing the We the People program in my district.
  I congratulate these young ``constitutional experts'' on their 
tremendous achievement at the We the People national finals.

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