[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 17623]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          COMMENDING ERIC YANG

 Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, today I wish to recognize the 
achievements of Eric Yang, a 13-year-old seventh grade student at 
Griffin Middle School in The Colony, TX. Eric recently competed in and 
won the 2009 National Geographic Bee, held here in Washington, DC. Out 
of a field of 55 contestants, one from each of the 50 States and 
territories, Eric won the competition in the third finals tie-breaker. 
Out of nine students, Eric was the only one who missed no questions. 
This has only occurred five times in the competition's 21-year history. 
In recognition of his success, Eric will receive a college scholarship 
worth $25,000, a lifetime membership in the National Geographic 
Society, and a trip to the Galapagos Islands with the moderator of the 
National Geographic Bee and host of ``Jeopardy!,'' Alex Trebek. To 
achieve this honor, Eric won a nationwide contest comprised of nearly 5 
million students in the fourth through eighth grades who had 
participated in the local geographic bees held in the 50 States and 
five territories.
  The winning question was: ``Timis County shares its name with a 
tributary of the Danube and is located in the western part of which 
European country?'' The answer, ``Romania,'' was given correctly by 
Eric Yang after two other tie-breaker questions. Eric is the first 
Texan to be named champion in the competition's 21-year history. 
According to Eric's mother, the main reason for his success has been 
his curiosity, saying that it ``is a major part of Eric. He reads 
everything from history books to cookbooks to learn about other places 
and cultures.'' Eric's desire to learn is also evident in his 
scholastic record. At age 13, Eric scored a 2200 on the SATs out of a 
possible score of 2400.
  Young Texans, such as Eric Yang, prove that persistence and a curious 
mind are the keys to unlocking opportunities for success. I 
congratulate Eric on this important accomplishment and encourage him as 
he continues his quest for knowledge.

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