Mr. President, I rise to congratulate the team of students from Kahuku High and Intermediate School of Kahuku, Hawaii, on logging yet another bright performance for their school at the "We the People...the Citizen and the Constitution" national competition recently held here in our Nation's Capital. The team traveled over 5,000 miles to represent Hawaii in this competition, and won the Unit 3 award, "How the Values and Principles Embodied in the Constitution Shaped American Institutions and Practices," for the second consecutive year. On behalf of the people of Hawaii, I am proud to congratulate the Kahuku team.

As my colleagues are familiar, the We the People competition, administered by the Center for Civic Education, is a comprehensive program that assists students in understanding the history and principles of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. The academic competition simulates a Congressional hearing where students, acting as expert witnesses, testify before a panel of prominent professionals from across the country to demonstrate their knowledge of constitutional issues. The program provides an excellent opportunity for students to gain an appreciation of the significance of our Constitution and its place in history and our lives today. As a former teacher, it heartens me to see our young people taking interest in learning about the sacred document which we in this chamber work to uphold and defend, every day. It is only through the understanding of our Constitution and the Bill of Rights that we are able to perpetuate the democratic foundation upon which this great Nation was built. I applaud all students who participate in this competition for their hard work and dedication to civic education. We might well have future Senators and Members of Congress who are encouraged to enter public service because of their experiences in the We the People competition.

I am pleased to enter the names of the Kahuku team members for the record: Adriana Alghussein, Daniel Allen, Dexter Bacon, Nicole Cameron, Ariane Cameros, Li Shieh Chen, Anthony Ching, William Ellis, Brooke Jones, Shantel Kaululaau, April Kekaula, Helene Keys, Malia Love, Leilani Miller, Andrew Savini, Jessica Schiaretti, Kristen Sickler, Bethany Smith, Ericka Staples, and Elizabeth Torres. I also take this opportunity to recognize their teacher Sandra Cashman, State Coordinator Lyla Berg, and District Coordinator Sharon Kaohi for all of their contributions in helping the Kahuku team prepare for the national competition.

Again, I congratulate the students and the faculty of Kahuku High and Intermediate School for their outstanding achievements. I am pleased to note that a team from this school has represented Hawaii in nine of the past 11 national competitions. I join the people of Hawaii in expressing my pride in their impressive achievement.