[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 22851]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENT ART COMPETITION

 Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I would like to recognize three 
students from New Mexico who entered and were recognized in the 
Education: A Gift Without Boundaries, 2007 Native American Student Art 
Competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of 
Indian Education. There were almost 1,400 entries from 34 States in 6 
events divided by age.
  Native Americans put a very strong emphasis on their culture and in 
particular, art. Even though the art may be different from tribe to 
tribe, the universal importance of art is seen in the number of 
entrants and from the diverse geographic areas that they come from. The 
number of entrants also speaks to the immense support from teachers and 
parents in the Native American communities.
  Deidra Lee, an eighth grader from Cecditai Middle School, won first 
place in the sixth- to eighth-grade division; Robert Francis, a 10th 
grader from Grants High School, won third place in the 9th-10th grade 
division; and Michael Curly, a 10th grader from Pine Hill School, won 
first place in the 11th-12th grade division. I ask that all three of 
these students be recognized for their accomplishments in the arts. 
These New Mexicans demonstrated a clear understanding of the importance 
of academic, cultural, and artistic education.

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