[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 7] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 9767-9768] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]CONGRATULATIONS TO THE MT. CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL NATIONAL OCEAN SCIENCES BOWL TEAM ______ HON. RANDY ``DUKE'' CUNNINGHAM of california in the house of representatives Thursday, May 13, 1999 Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, I am proud today to pay tribute to the students, teachers, parents and supporters of the Mt. Carmel High School National Ocean Sciences Bowl team that recently visited Washington, DC, for the competition's finals and won second place for the entire United States. This is the second consecutive year that the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education has hosted the National Ocean Science Bowl for high school students from across the country, the second time that Mt. Carmel High has won its regional competition and come to Washington for the semifinals, and the first time the team has made the finals. In doing so, these students demonstrated their immense dedication of months of after-school study and investigation of oceanographic sciences and the world around us. I would like to recognize each of the student team members by name, to honor their work and their extraordinary national achievement. Daniel Warren Heise is a sophomore (among seniors) on Mt. Carmel High School's competing NOSB team in San Diego. However, he also participates in the Speech and Debate program and in Mt. Carmel's Key Club. He has assisted at nursing homes and orphanages in recent years. He also plays soccer, football, baseball, and basketball in the community. Danny loves to bodyboard at the beach, go camping, sketch, and kickbox. While taking frequent odd jobs on the side, he also has a 4.06 GPA. He aspires to attend a university and eventually travel much of the world. Jennifer (J.J.) Nielsen is Captain of the Mt. Carmel High School NOSB team. She has been working with the team since January 1998. she is very proud and excited to be a part of the competing team, and looks forward to representing Southern California at the National Competition in Washington, DC. Besides working with the Oceanography team, Jennifer is also a part of the Mt. Carmel's Yearbook staff, CSF, and Link Crew. Outside of school, Jennifer enjoys snowboarding, SCUBA diving, hiking and listening to music. She has also been a Girl Scout since she was six years old. After she graduates in June 1999, Jennifer will attend San Diego State University and will work towards a degree in astronomy and geology. Newton Quoc Quan is a senior at Mt. Carmel High School. This is his first year on NOSB team. He is also one of the senior captains at his high school's Varsity Lacrosse Team. He is currently involved in CSF, Link Crew, and Math Club. Newton currently has a 4.03 GPA and hopes to attend UCSD. He would like to thank all of his friends and family for all the support they have shown him. Newton would also like to especially thank Atish Baidya and Kevin Splittgeber for their involvement in getting him to join the team. Bradley Wilson Reddell is a senior at Mt. Carmel High School. He currently lives in San Diego California with his parents and his thirteen-year-old brother. He is a current member of the ceramics club and NOSB. His hobbies include reading Robert Jordan and Tolkien novels, creative writing and archery. He also enjoys playing computer games. Brad has found that studying for NOSB has been well worth the time and has come to enjoy the challenge. He plans to attend Community College for two years then plans to transfer into a university and pursue a major in biology. Lynn Sun is a senior at Mt. Carmel High School and is concurrently enrolled in the University of California, San Diego. She maintains a 4.2 GPA and is a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist. She is also a member of the California Scholarship Federation and competes in Science Olympiad. She hopes to become a physician someday. In her free time she enjoys playing the piano, sketching, and skiing. Lynn would like to thank her parents, Huai and Jie Lin Sun, her coach, Harold Dorr, and all of her teachers and friends for their support. I also want to specifically mention a number of teachers, parents and others who have been instrumental in the success of Mt. Carmel High's National Ocean Sciences Bowl team. Harold W. Dorr is the coach of the Mt. Carmel High School National Science Bowl team. He is a science teacher at Mt. Carmel High School in the San Diego area where he teaches Oceanography and Zoology to 11 and 12 grade students. He is also an adjunct professor at Palomar College where he has taught in both the Life Science and Earth Science departments and is presently teaching Physical Oceanography. Mr. Dorr has a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences from San Diego State University and a Masters of Science in marine sciences from the University of San Diego. Prior to becoming a teacher, he enjoyed five years working as a biological technician (fisheries) for the National Marine Fisheries Service and five additional years conducting various activities including teaching SCUBA, working as a diver at an oceanarium, and collecting marine biological data on various research projects. In Mr. Dorr's rare free moments he enjoys SCUBA diving, underwater photography, fishing, camping and motorcycling. He never gets his fill of sharing the ocean, mountains and deserts with his wife and three children. Keith Gretlein is a student at Palomar College and a member of last year's NOSB team from Mt. Carmel High School who competed in the national finals last year. Keith spent many hours working as assistant coach and assisting the students as they mastered difficult topics and learned the game strategy. Keith brought the expertise of a former competitor and shared his insights regarding both academic material and how to have the most positive experience with the members of other teams. Keith emphasized that this is an opportunity to gain new and interesting friends! Sean Nesbitt, a student at University of San Diego, was also a member of the previous year team with Keith. Sean also worked as assistant coach and spent many afternoons and evenings teaching and helping students on their game strategy. Sean was instrumental in helping Mr. Dorr select the most competent and compatible team. His experience in this competition last year was invaluable to the team. Kara Lavender, a doctoral candidate at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography of the University of California San Diego, assisted this team by bringing the students up to date information about physical oceanography and assisting them as they grappled with topics that might be encountered as team challenge questions. Ms. Lavender demonstrated a gift for teaching as she brought complex concepts from her graduate courses and shared them in a very understandable way with the students. Scott Fisher, the principal of Mt. Carmel High School, consistently supported this NOSB team and allowed them to take trips, try new activities, take a few risks, and grow. Mr. Fisher recognized the hours of hard work and the sacrifices these students have made throughout the year and awarded the team a school varsity letter for their efforts and successes. And, of course, I want to recognize the hard work and sacrifice put forth by the parents of all of these Mt. Carmel High School NOSB team members, supporters and friends. Excellence in learning begins in the home. These parents deserve to be honored. Last, I want to pay a special thanks to my good friend, Admiral James D. Watkins. Admiral Watkins is the president of the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education, [[Page 9768]] CORE, that is the sponsor of this annual National Ocean Sciences Bowl. Having tirelessly given his life and his energy to America through service in the U.S. Navy and in several Executive Branch appointments, Admiral Watkins continues to aggressively advocate for excellence in scientific education and research as the means to build a better tomorrow. By his will and considerable persuasive abilities, the National Ocean Sciences Bowl is bigger and better every year for all of the student competitors and supporting and sponsoring institutions. I am proud to have Admiral Watkins as a friend. Let the permanent Record of the Congress of the United States show that the National Ocean Sciences Bowl team of Mt. Carmel High School, in San Diego, California, has demonstrated the best of young America through vigorous study, teamwork, and good sportsmanship. They are champions of our community, and they exemplify what makes our country great. ____________________