[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 28 (Tuesday, February 23, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S956]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         VERMONT ESSAY CONTEST

 Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, I would like to extend my sincere 
thanks for the continued involvement of Vermont high school teachers 
and principals in my annual State of the Union essay contest. This 
year, 799 Vermont students from 39 high schools wrote essays detailing 
what they thought were the most important issues facing our country. We 
could not have achieved this level of participation without the help of 
engaged educators throughout the State.
  Each and every day, teachers encourage students to think critically 
and develop their own ideas. I appreciate that so many teachers have 
used the essay contest to challenge their students to share what they 
consider to be priorities for the United States. This year's 
submissions were some of the most thoughtful to date, and I have no 
doubt that is because of the encouragement of engaged teachers from 
across the State.
  The success of this essay contest also depends on a dedicated team of 
volunteer judges, all of whom are also high school teachers. This year, 
we asked our five judges--some of whom have served for many years--to 
read more essays in less time, and we greatly appreciate the serious 
consideration and commitment they brought to the task. I would like to 
take a moment to recognize this year's judges: Bradley Archer, 
Woodstock Union High School; Jason Gorczyk, Milton High School; Krista 
Huling, South Burlington High School; Roberta ``Cookie'' Steponaitis, 
Vergennes Union High School; and Terri Vest, Twinfield Union School.
  I would also like to enter into the Record the names of the 39 high 
schools that participated this year:
  Arlington Memorial High School, Bellows Falls Union High School, 
Bellows Free Academy--Fairfax, Blue Mountain High School, Burlington 
High School, Burlington Technical Center, Burr & Burton Academy, Canaan 
Memorial High School, Champlain Valley Union High School, Colchester 
High School, Enosburg Falls High School, Green Mountain Technology and 
Career Center, Hanover High School, Hartford High School, Harwood Union 
High School, Leland and Gray Union High School, Mill River Union High 
School, Milton High School, Missisquoi Valley Union High School, Mount 
Mansfield Union High School, Mt. Abraham Union High School, Mt. Anthony 
Union High School, North Country Union High School, Northfield High 
School, Peoples Academy, Rice Memorial High School, Rutland High 
School, South Burlington High School, South Royalton High School, 
Spaulding High School, St. Johnsbury Academy, Stafford Technical 
Center, Twinfield High School, Union High School, Vergennes Union High 
School, Vermont Commons School, Whitcomb High School, Winooski High 
School, Woodside Juvenile Rehab Center, and Woodstock Union High 
School.
  Additionally, I would like to thank the schools where an especially 
large number of students wrote essays. Vermont Commons School and 
Missisquoi Valley Union High School had more than 25 participants. 
Green Mountain Technology and Career Center and South Burlington High 
School both had more than 50 students write essays. Mount Abraham Union 
High School had more than 100 members of their freshmen class write 
essays. Rutland High School assigned the contest to their entire 
freshmen class, with more than 200 students participating.
  I would like to thank all of Vermont's teachers and principals for 
their tireless work educating students and for helping to make the 
sixth annual State of the Union essay contest a success.

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