[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12309-12310]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



   A TRIBUTE TO THE SIXTH GRADE CLASS OF GRATIGNY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 
                               MIAMI, FL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. CARRIE P. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 9, 1999

  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 
sixth grade class of Mrs. Morano at Gratigny Elementary School in 
Miami, FL, in recognition of the compassion and concern of this class 
and their teacher for the slaves in Africa's Sudan, and for what these 
young Americans have done to help captives on another continent. Mrs. 
Morano's class became members of the American Anti-Slavery Group, 
raised $700 by selling candy, and used the money to free slaves in the

[[Page 12310]]

Sudan. These young citizens of the United States are to be commended 
for their act of hope.
  This action of the sixth grade class and their teacher is as 
remarkable as it is inspiring. The late Senator Robert Kennedy once 
wrote,

       Every time that a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to 
     improve that lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, 
     he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope. And crossing each other 
     from a million different centers of energy and daring, those 
     ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest 
     walls of oppression and resistance.

  The compassionate feat by Gratigny Elementary School's Sixth Grade 
Class in aiding the Sudanese slaves is precisely the sort of positive 
action that Senator Kennedy wrote of. America truly is blessed to have 
such empathetic citizens, and it is a privilege to pay tribute to Mrs. 
Morano and to all of the young people in the sixth grade class at 
Gratigny Elementary School.

                          ____________________