[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 158 (Friday, September 26, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E896]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING MRS. AROOSTINE SHESTON AND MR. NAM NGUYEN

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EUGENE SIMON VINDMAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 26, 2025

  Mr. VINDMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate 
Mrs. Aroostine Sheston and her student, Nam Nguyen, of Brooke Point 
High School in Stafford County, Virginia, for their outstanding 
participation in the 2025 Young People's Continental Congress.
  Mrs. Sheston and Mr. Nguyen were among only 56 distinguished teachers 
and students from across the nation who were selected to participate in 
this extraordinary program. In commemoration of the 250th anniversary 
of the First Continental Congress, the Carpenters' Company, which 
preserves and stewards historic Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia, 
launched this initiative to engage young people and educators around 
our country to understand the history and meaning of our nation's 
founding.
  In July 2025, delegates from 28 states gathered at Carpenters' Hall, 
just as the Founders did to deliberate, debate, and reflect on the 
ideals of our democracy. Over the course of six days, Mrs. Sheston and 
Mr. Nguyen immersed themselves in historic sites, participated in 
rigorous discussions, and joined their peers in drafting their own 
``Declaration of Aspirations.'' This declaration, written in the spirit 
of the Continental Congress, speaks powerfully to the hopes and 
commitments of a new generation of leaders.
  The Young People's Continental Congress is a National Partner Program 
of America250, developed in partnership with National History Day. 
Delegates, such as Mrs. Sheston and Mr. Nguyen, were chosen through a 
highly competitive process, beginning their work months in advance with 
virtual seminars and assignments before convening in person. Their 
dedication to this process reflects the vitality of civic learning and 
the enduring importance of the democratic experiment they studied.
  I am especially proud of Mrs. Sheston and Mr. Nguyen for representing 
Virginia with skill, passion, and integrity. They embody the best of 
Brooke Point High School, the Stafford County community, and the 
Commonwealth. With their commitment to scholarship and civic 
engagement, they remind us that the legacy of 1776 continues to inspire 
and guide future generations.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Mrs. 
Aroostine Sheston and Mr. Nam Nguyen for their remarkable achievement 
and in celebrating the Young People's Continental Congress, which so 
fittingly carries forward the spirit of America's founding into our 
nation's 250th anniversary commemoration.

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