[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 156 (Friday, October 23, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1527-E1528]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING RAMBAM MESIVTA, WINNER OF A NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON AWARD

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. KATHLEEN M. RICE

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 23, 2015

  Miss RICE of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the 
Rambam Mesivta academy in Lawrence, New York, on receiving the National 
Blue Ribbon School award. As the only school on Long Island to receive 
a Blue Ribbon award this year, Rambam Mesivta has truly distinguished 
itself as an exceptional academic institution deeply committed to the 
educational and personal development of its student body.
   For 24 years, Rambam Mesivta has implemented a rigorous curriculum 
that challenges its students to not only strive for academic 
excellence, but also to become more engaged members of their community 
and better citizens of the world. In fact, within days of the 2004 
earthquake and tsunami in Southeast Asia, which killed more than 
250,000 people, students from Rambam Mesivta raised more than $6,000 to 
help rebuild schools and buy school supplies in Sri Lanka.
   Following the tragic 2014 terrorist attack at the Har Nof synagogue 
in Jerusalem, in which four Jewish worshipers were killed, a group of 
10th graders from Rambam Mesivta responded immediately with a campaign 
to raise money for the victims' families. Within a day of the attack, 
the students had raised nearly $20,000, and within 10 days, they raised 
over one million. Nearly two months after they launched their campaign, 
this passionate and caring group of students raised over two million 
dollars.
   Rambam Mesivta has instilled in its students a dedication not just 
to their studies, but to public service and to helping those in need. I 
am truly proud to represent this wonderful school and its community in 
Congress.

[[Page E1528]]

   Once again, I'd like to congratulate Rambam Mesivta on receiving the 
National Blue Ribbon Award and I want to thank its students, 
administrators and faculty for their incredible work and their service 
to our community.

                          ____________________