[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 103 (Tuesday, July 13, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  CONGRATULATING ABDUL HAMKA AND DARIUS WILBERT FOR BECOMING NATIONAL 
        SEMI-FINALISTS IN THE DASH+ NATIONAL STUDENT COMPETITION

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                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 13, 2010

  Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor two students from 
my district who have been named as semifinalists of the Progressive 
Insurance DASH+ National Student Competition.
  Abdul Hamka and Darius Wilbert of The Henry Ford Academy in Dearborn 
Michigan designed an eco-friendly dashboard for the Dash Plus National 
Student Competition. Hamka and Wilbert designed a dashboard that is 
able to communicate to the driver how they are impacting fuel economy 
and the environment. Abdul and Darius's panel connects multiple 
information sources that increase driver awareness. The dashboard can 
also calculate routes that have fewer hills and traffic lights, helping 
the driver reduce unnecessary acceleration and braking and in turn 
reduce overall fuel emissions. The dashboard is constructed out of 
emerging industrial-grade bio-plastics that are derived from vegetable 
oil, corn, soy, and algae. This gives the panel a reduced weight which 
in turn means less fuel consumption and a smaller carbon footprint.
  Projects like the DASH Tech competition provide students with a 
platform to be innovative and put to use skills they learn while 
studying STEM fields. Madam Speaker, one out of every ten people in 
Southeast Michigan is an engineer. Helping to promote the new green 
economy will help drive job creation and innovation in Michigan. My 
constituents and I are proud of what Abdul and Darius have accomplished 
and we know that they will be industry leaders one day.

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