[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Pages 4958-4959]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO HOOSIER ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS

 Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate a group 
of young Indiana students who have shown great educative achievement. I 
would like to bring to the attention of my colleagues the winners of 
the 2002-2003 Eighth Grade Youth Essay Contest, which I sponsored in 
association with the Indiana Farm Bureau and Farm Bureau Insurance 
Companies. These students have displayed strong writing abilities and 
are outstanding young Hoosier scholars. I will submit their names for 
the Congressional Record because they demonstrate the capabilities of 
today's students and are fine representatives of our Nation.
  This year, Hoosier students wrote on the theme, ``Growing Nutrition 
Right Here In Indiana.'' I would like to submit for the Record the 
winning essays of Caitlin Dunn and Ryan Nigh. As State winners of the 
Youth Essay Contest, these two outstanding students are being 
recognized on Friday, February 28, 2003, during a visit to the United 
States Capitol.
  The essays are as follows:

                Growing Nutrition Right Here In Indiana

                     (By Caitlin Dunn--Jay County)

     Don't leave the table.
       Stay in your seat.
     An event of magic
       Is yours to meet.
     With the wave of my wand
       And a magical spell,
     The nutrition grown in Indiana
       Will help you stay well!

       Our magical journey begins with an ordinary deck of cards. 
     ``Pick a card--any card--just don't tell me what it is. You 
     have chosen the ace of spades.'' This card is remarkable 
     because it holds the most powerful magic of all. It 
     represents the farmer's spade used to tend the bountiful and 
     nutritious crops grown in Indiana.
       Indiana farmers create a powerful potion for keeping our 
     bodies healthy:
       M--Maintaining a healthy diet from the basic food groups 
     including Indiana beef, pork, poultry, vegetables, fruits, 
     grains, and dairy will increase the body's level of energy 
     and make it easier to live an active lifestyle.
       A--Agriculture from Indiana such as corn, tomatoes, 
     cucumbers, snap beans, potatoes, apples, watermelons, 
     cantaloupes, peaches, and blueberries as well as soybeans, 
     wheat, and oats will help the body resist infection and 
     disease.
       G--Good eating habits will improve ``brain power,'' 
     creating a better aptitude for learning.
       I--An increase in life expectancy can result from 
     decreasing cholesterol with Indiana whole grains and soy 
     protein.
       C--Caring for bones and teeth with dairy products from 
     Indiana farms will help prevent osteoporosis and promote a 
     healthy digestive system.
       Combine all ingredients and simmer for a lifetime.
       Eat properly and unlock the MAGIC. Maintain a healthy diet, 
     consume nutritious Indiana agricultural products, practice 
     good eating habits, increase life expectancy with Indiana 
     whole grains, and care for bones and teeth with Indiana dairy 
     products. Conjure up a little magic in yourself and--
     ABRACADABRA--live a healthy life with nutrition grown right 
     here in Indiana.
                                  ____


                Growing Nutrition Right Here in Indiana

                     (By Ryan Nigh--Shelby County)

       My grandmother has a saying, ``You are what you eat!'' It 
     is very important to eat healthy foods to have a healthy body 
     and mind. Eating right gives the body more nutrients. It 
     makes the body function better and gives it more energy and 
     coordination. There is less chance for illness and life-
     threatening diseases, especially heart disease, diabetes, 
     cancer, and osteoporosis. The brain functions better too. 
     Better nutrition, especially breakfast, gives a person better 
     brainpower, concentration, and reasoning.
       There are a variety of nutritional products produced in our 
     state: milk products, bread and pasta, fruits and vegetables, 
     and meat. Indiana is fifth in the U.S. in corn production. 
     Much of it is used to feed livestock, which people then eat. 
     Corn is also used for cornmeal, taco shells, chips, and 
     cereal. Indiana is second in popcorn, a favorite snack of 
     many Americans. Bread and pasta come from wheat, milk 
     products from dairy farms, lots of protein from beef cattle, 
     hogs, and poultry grown here in Indiana. Poultry includes 
     ducks (first), chickens (sixth), and turkeys (seventh). 
     Indiana even has some fish farms.
       A major product Hoosier farmers grow is soybeans. Besides 
     supplementing animal feeds, soybeans are used in so many 
     foods now that it's hard to find one without soybeans in it. 
     Soybeans are very healthy.
       Indiana is not usually known for fruits and vegetables. 
     However, Indiana ranks in the top ten in growing tomatoes, 
     green beans, and cucumbers for processing. And Indiana sweet 
     corn is great too. Hoosiers also raise lots of cantaloupes, 
     watermelons, apples, blueberries, peaches, and walnuts.
       All of these good foods are grown in Indiana. If we eat the 
     foods recommended on the food pyramid, we will grow and have 
     healthy bodies. Like Grandma says, ``You are what you eat!''

  I ask that the names of the Hoosier Essay Contest winners be printed 
in the Record.
  The names follow.

                  2002-03 Lugar Essay District Winners

       District 1: Joshua Surfus (Starke Co.), and Kaylyn Herrold 
     (Fulton Co.).
       District 2: Luke Pratt (Allen Co.), and Jillian Jackson 
     (DeKalb Co.).
       District 3: Taylor Farrer (Cass Co.), and Angela Hubers 
     (Jasper Co.).
       District 4: James Comerford (Miami Co.), and Caitlin Dunn 
     (Jay Co.).
       District 5: Justin Yoho (Vermillion Co.), and Jessica Fry 
     (Putnam Co.).
       District 6: Matt Howard (Marion Co.), and Samantha Morton 
     (Hamilton Co.).
       District 7: Christopher Duncan (Vigo Co.), and Kayla Cash 
     (Vigo Co.).
       District 8: Ryan Nigh (Shelby Co.), and Roma Bose (Johnson 
     Co.).
       District 9: Logan Verkamp (Dubois Co.), and Anna 
     Blankenberger (Posey Co.).
       District 10: Landon Roberts (Washington Co.), and Jessica 
     Ragains (Washington Co.).

                      2002-03 County Essay Winners

       Benton: Wesley Geib, Tri-County Jr. High School.
       Cass: Taylor Farrer and Kristen Holcomb, Pioneer Jr. High 
     School.
       Clark: Miles Murphy and Kelly Ann Avery, Parkview Middle 
     School.
       DeKalb: Wade Buchs and Jillian Jackson, DeKalb Middle 
     School.
       Dubois: Logan Verkamp and Krystal Knust, Forest Park Jr. 
     High School.
       Fayette: Eric Knotts and Tarrah Emily McCreary, 
     Connersville Middle School.
       Franklin: Bradley Bischoff and Chelle Bentz, St. Michael 
     School.
       Fulton: Kaylyn Herrold, Caston Jr. High School.

[[Page 4959]]

       Greene: Bryant Meng and Patricia Dawn Shepard, Linton-
     Stockton Jr. High School.
       Hamilton: Evan Beckner and Samantha Morton, Carmel Jr. High 
     School.
       Hendricks: Nick McNulty, Danville Community Middle School 
     and Ryanne Fenimore, St. Malachy Parish School.
       Henry: Daniel Snyder and Sarah McCullough, Tri Jr. High 
     School.
       Jasper: Randy Lehman, Rensselaer Central Middle School, and 
     Angela Hubers, Demotte Christian School.
       Jay: Ben Wellman and Caitlin Dunn, East Jay Middle School.
       LaGrange: Carolyn Miller, Westview Jr. High School.
       Lake: Kristopher Wonzy and Danielle Ferree, Our Lady of 
     Grace School.
       LaPorte: Josh Troxel, Wanatah Public School, and Mary Ellen 
     Przybylinski, Saint Stanislaus School.
       Madison: Kaitlin Bohlander, Elwood Middle School.
       Marion: Matt Howard, Preston Middle School, and Katrina 
     Wathen, St. Roch School.
       Newton: Denise Hickman, North Newton Jr. High School.
       Orange: Andrew Jones, Orleans Jr. High School.
       Pike: Tyler Simpson and Whitney Helton, Pike Central Middle 
     School.
       Posey: Jeremy Wagner and Anna Blankenberger, North Posey 
     Jr. High School.
       Putnam: Logan Portish, Cloverdale Middle School, and 
     Jessica Fry, North Putnam Middle School.
       Ripley: Dan Rauscher and Brianna Mayfield, Batesville 
     Middle School.
       St. Joseph: Michael McMahon and Emily Cook, St. Matthew 
     Cathedral School.
       Shelby: Ryan Nigh, Morristown Jr. High School, and Brooke 
     Gilbert, Triton Middle School.
       Starke: Joshua Surfus, Knox Middle School, and Natalia 
     Ratican, Oregon-Davis Jr. High School.
       Switzerland: Travis Rose and Sara Craig, Switzerland County 
     Middle School.
       Tippecanoe: Eliza Scanlon, Wainwright Middle School.
       Tipton: Craig Hartman and Danielle Widner, Tri-Central Jr. 
     High School.
       Vermillion: Justin Yoho and Tracy Woolwine, North 
     Vermillion Jr. High School.
       Vigo: Christopher Duncan and Kayla Cash, Honey Creek Middle 
     School.
       Warrick: Logan Springstun and Brooke Carter, Boonville Jr. 
     High School.
       Washington: Landon Roberts and Jessica Ragains, West 
     Washington Jr. High School.
       Wayne: Branden Mathews and Marissa Uphaus, Centerville Jr. 
     High School.
       Wells: Nathan Donaghy and Kristen Meyer, Bethlehem Lutheran 
     School.
       White: Cole Bell and Sarah Demerly, Tri-County Jr. High 
     School.

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