[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7380]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNITION OF THE MICHIGAN STATE CHAMPIONS OF THE ``WE THE PEOPLE . . 
            . THE CITIZEN AND THE CONSTITUTION'' COMPETITION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MIKE ROGERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 21, 2013

  Mr. ROGERS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker, twenty-nine exceptionally bright 
students from Howell High School in Michigan won a competition on their 
knowledge of the Constitution. As the winners of this competition, they 
came to Washington, D.C. the last weekend in April to participate in 
the national finals of the ``We the People . . . The Citizen and the 
Constitution'' program.
  The ``We the People . . . The Citizen and the Constitution'' program, 
administered by the Center for Civic Education, helps elementary and 
secondary students build a strong foundation of knowledge of the 
history and philosophical influences of the Constitution. The knowledge 
gained from this experience teaches the students about civic 
responsibility and how to enhance and uphold the democracy of this 
nation.
  The final activity in this program, which took place April 27-29, 
gave students the opportunity to ``testify'' in a simulated 
congressional hearing. This experience allows them to utilize and 
demonstrate their understanding and teaches them how to evaluate, take, 
and defend positions on issues based on constitutional principles. I am 
happy to announce that the Howell High team won the Outstanding Unit 
Six award. Overall the team finished 16th in the nation with Unit One 
also placing in the top ten and Unit Two finishing 14th overall.
  I am honored and proud to recognize the achievements of these 
students; they are Unit One: Heather Buja, Brody Kutt, Aaron Osborne; 
Unit Two: David Grusendorf, Lauren Lomasney, Nicole Trudeau, Jason 
Wisby; Unit Three: Ashley Carignan, Megan Isom, Jeremy Johnson, Sarah 
Kenney, Francesca Mettetal, Benjamin Schultz; Unit Four: Katherine 
Beard, Dillon Higgins, Adam Hukkala, Samantha Rineman, Christina 
Szkrybalo, Jake Tholen; Unit Five: Michael Beard, Grant Bowman, Jarrid 
Rector-Brooks, Erika Seneca, Karsyn Textor; and Unit Six: Breanne 
Casper, Nadja Grauer, Abigail Harrington, Andreja Petrulis, Jonathon 
Reck. I also recognize Linda Start, the Michigan state coordinator for 
the ``We the People . . .'' program.
  I would also like to applaud Mark Oglesby, the teacher who has led 
the Howell High School class to this national competition after eleven 
years of competing in the state of Michigan.
  It was a pleasure to meet these students while they were here and I 
wish them the best in their future endeavors.

                          ____________________