[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21854]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



   IN SPECIAL RECOGNITION OF TIFFANY DRAIN ON WINNING THE PLEDGE OF 
                   ALLEGIANCE NATIONAL ESSAY CONTEST

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                          HON. PAUL E. GILLMOR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 6, 2000

  Mr. GILLMOR. Mr. Speaker, today I pay special tribute to an 
outstanding young lady from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. I am 
happy to announce that Tiffany Drain, a seventh grader at Liberty 
Center High School in Liberty Center, Ohio, is the winner of the ``What 
the Pledge of Allegiance Means to Me,'' national essay contest.
  Tiffany first submitted her essay at the district level to Local Elks 
Lodge #929 in Napoleon, Ohio, The lodge was the primary local sponsor 
of the essay contest open to all sixth graders across America. She 
would later go on to win at the state and national levels. Since then 
Tiffany has presented her essay at a number of local events, including 
the McClure Radish Festival in McClure, Ohio, and the Annual Tomato 
Parade at the Huron County Fair in Napoleon, Ohio. Tiffany most 
recently recited her national winning essay before the Ohio General 
Assembly, receiving a standing ovation from Ohio State Representatives 
and Senators alike.
  The following are Tiffany's few but powerful words: ``From Alabama to 
Michigan, California to Maine we are all taught the same thirty two 
words of the Pledge of Allegiance. As I hold my hand over my heart to 
recite these words as done so many times before, I think of peace and 
freedom. In these fifteen seconds we, as a nation, can stand next to 
each other without regard to the color of each others skin, without 
hatred towards each other, and become joined as one in unison. For 
fifteen seconds we are free from hatred, free from racism, and free 
from violence. From a Harvard College Professor to a St. Augustine 
first grader we can stand next to each other and know the same thirty-
two words. As we face our flag with our hands over our hearts a hush 
overcomes all the noise and for fifteen seconds we have absolute peace 
in our nation.''
  As we turn the nation over to our youth, my confidence and optimism 
has been reinforced for the preservation and future of our great nation 
through the accomplishments of students like Tiffany. She serves as an 
example to us all.
  Mr. Speaker, I would ask my colleagues to join me in paying special 
tribute to Tiffany Drain. We should all be grateful to her. Tiffany has 
reminded us that when we stand and pledge allegiance to the United 
States of America, that we not only stand for our flag, our freedom, 
and our allegiance to our great country, but that we stand as a nation, 
together.

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