[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 30, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E638]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF NEW MEXICO SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF'S ACADEMIC BOWL TEAM

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                          HON. BEN RAY LUJAAN

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 30, 2014

  Mr. BEN RAY LUJAAN of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to 
acknowledge the success of the Academic Bowl Team at the New Mexico 
School for the Deaf. This impressive group of students travelled to 
Austin, Texas earlier this year to take part in the Regional Academic 
Bowl Competition, a tournament measuring contestants in different areas 
of knowledge. Over the course of matches consisting of three one-hour 
rounds, competitors were tested on their knowledge of the humanities, 
sciences, current events, deaf studies, and many other disciplines.
  For the first time in school history, the NMSD team won the Regional 
Competition, going undefeated in all eight of their matches. Their 
winning performance earned them a trip to the national competition, 
held annually here in Washington, D.C. at Gallaudet University, the 
first university in the world founded to give instruction specifically 
to the deaf and hard of hearing. The team continued its run of 
excellence at the highest level by winning three out of five of matches 
on the first day of competition. On day two, NMSD won its first match 
before a loss in the playoffs eliminated them from competition.
  This impressive performance was a result of hard work, dedication and 
perseverance, and is a source of pride for the state of New Mexico. The 
team features a diverse group of students from different backgrounds, 
hailing from different parts of the Land of Enchantment, along with one 
exchange student--Kalle Lovgren--from Sweden. Two of the NMSD team 
members, Jasmine Sisneros and Tyrel Wilding, were selected as All-Stars 
for the entire Southwest Region. These fine young students, together 
with teammates Augusta Skoog, Hadassah Aguilar-Davis, and former 
National Most Outstanding Player Paige Foreman, who rejoined the team 
for the national competition, performed brilliantly through the 
Academic Bowl Competition.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the NMSD Academic Bowl Team and their 
coaches, Scott Vollmar and Nate Harrison, on all their success.

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