[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 115 (Tuesday, July 31, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1354]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONGRATULATING THE SAIPAN SOUTHERN HIGH SCHOOL MANTA RAY BAND'S OLYMPIC 
                              PERFORMANCE

                                 ______
                                 

                  HON. GREGORIO KILILI CAMACHO SABLAN

                    of the northern mariana islands

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 31, 2012

  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, here is a story to make us all cheer:
  46 high school musicians from America's smallest insular area raise a 
quarter of a million dollars to go to London and perform during the 
Olympics--where they win a silver medal.
  That is the story of the Saipan Southern High School Manta Ray 
Concert Band, who played their hearts out at the London Celebration 
Music Festival this week in Central Hall Westminster, and came away 
with silver.
  They played throughout the 2012 Summer Olympics: at the main 
bandstand in Olympic Park, in a torch ceremony in Central London, at 
storied Westminster Abbey, and at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference 
Centre nearby Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.
  As they played, we all cheered in the Northern Mariana Islands. 
Because the Manta Rays represent us all. We are the only U.S. insular 
area that did not send athletes to London. We sent our students. We 
sent musicians. And they were awarded silver.
  It took silver to send them there. It took bake sales, rummage sales, 
garage sales, a bowling tournament, tree plantings, car washes, a radio 
telethon, lunches, and raffles. It took businesses, government, civic 
organizations, and individual donors--too many to list by name all 
chipping in to make this possible for the 46 Manta Rays and their 14 
chaperones. It seemed an impossible goal for a community of barely 
fifty thousand, struggling economically, to raise two hundred and fifty 
thousand dollars. But we did.
  Because these Manta Ray musicians dared us to dream--as they have 
before. They proved to us that with ``faith, effort, and 
determination,'' and, of course, the hours of individual diligence, 
closing out the world, playing scales, practicing their parts, over and 
over again, that even the seemingly impossible can come to be.
  Ten years ago there was no high school band in our islands. Most 
families in the Marianas could not even afford to buy a band 
instrument. Then, through the vision of teacher Will DeWitt and the 
support of the leadership at Saipan Southern High School and the 
Northern Marianas Public School System a seed was planted. The dream 
began to grow.
  Students begged or borrowed instruments and held them for the first 
time. They began to make music.
  How quickly they learned. They started to win regional competitions 
in Guam. They gained notice and were invited to perform during the 
Beijing Olympics four years ago.
  They were even called to play at Carnegie Hall, earning second place 
in the New York International Music Competition.
  Then, last year, the invitation came to the 2012 Summer Olympics. And 
this week the silver medal in London.
  Perhaps, nothing better demonstrates how much the Northern Marianas 
believes in its young people than this bake-sale effort to send the 
Manta Ray Concert Band to the 2012 Olympics.
  Perhaps, nothing better demonstrates how much our young people 
believe in themselves and in their future than that they took on this 
impossible, improbable goal--and succeeded.
  So, today, we say, ``Congratulations, Manta Rays!''
  And we say, ``Thank you.'' Thank you for doing your community proud. 
Thank you for rewarding our faith in you.
  Thank you for confirming that there is no better place to put our 
hope and hard work than helping in the growth and development of our 
children.
  Here is a story we can all love and applaud: a story of dedicated 
teachers and students who were inspired to do something they had never 
done before, something that on its face was ``impossible.'' This is a 
story of what makes any of us great: stepping beyond what we imagine we 
can do, bringing to life a new and unimaginable world.

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