Mr. AKAKA--Mr. President, it gives me great pleasure and pride to announce that students from Kahuku High School, on the Island of Oahu, honorably represented Hawaii at the national finals of "We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution." These Hawaii students joined more than 1,200 students from across the country to visit Washington, D.C., and take part in national competition during the first week of May. These bright students showcased their exemplary knowledge of the U.S. Constitution, and did my state proud against competition from other states. I applaud the achievement of the Kahuku students for placing in the Top 10 of National Finalists out of the 51 schools participating.
The "We the People" program is administered by the Center for Civic Education and is an extensive educational program developed specifically to educate young people about the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The three-day competition is modeled after hearings in the U.S. Congress and provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge before a panel of adult judges while they evaluate, take, and defend positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues. Their testimony is followed by questions designed to probe the students' depth of understanding and ability to apply their constitutional knowledge.
I would like to recognize the following 23 Kahuku students who proudly represented the State of Hawaii: Genevieve Allen, Yesenia Arevalo, Amanda Baize, Bonnie Cameron, Meri Ching, Dannah Christensen, Krystle Corpuz, Oliver Howells, Lorna Kekua, Jokke Kokkonen, Jacquelyn Lautaha, William Law, Catalina Markowitz, Ajri McArthur, Sara Mirels, Brad Rasmussen, Ashley Rillamas, Lizette Sauque, Noelle Spring, Shirly Tagayuna, Joseph Trisolini, and Morgan Wright. I would especially like to thank their teacher, Ms. Sandra Cashman, for once again seizing this opportunity to educate students about the significance of the American institutions of constitutional democracy. The mere fact that Kahuku students competed here for 11 of the last 12 "We the People" competitions is a testament to Ms. Cashman's skills as a civic education teacher.
As a former Kahuku High School teacher, I take pride in these students who rose to the challenges presented in this competition, and gave impressive performances. I know that it is because of school and parental support, dedication, and commitment that these students were empowered and encouraged to excel in this arena. These students have no doubt made everyone in their school, their families, and their friends proud of what they achieved. We should all recognize that they are learning and advocating the fundamental ideas that identify us as a people and bind us together as a nation. The zeal and diligence these students showed in their understanding of government ought to serve as a symbol for all citizens to pursue.
