2013 -- H 5966

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LC01920

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING THE 34 FRESHMEN AT NORTH SMITHFIELD HIGH SCHOOL

WHO WON THE RHODE ISLAND "WE THE PEOPLE" COMPETITION

     Introduced By: Representatives Newberry, Mattiello, Shekarchi, Trillo, and Chippendale

     Date Introduced: April 04, 2013

     Referred To: House read and passed

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     WHEREAS, North Smithfield High School freshmen have taken the first-place slot in the

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state's "We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution" competition for a seventh year in a row;

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and

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     WHEREAS, "We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution Competition" is

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sponsored by the Center for Civic Education and is a yearly competition held in Washington,

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D.C., for American high school students. Teams are divided into six units, each comprised of

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three or more members, and each team focuses on a particular area of Constitutional interest; and

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     WHEREAS, On February 14, 2013, at West Warwick High School, a group of 34

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freshmen from North Smithfield High School under the guidance of honors American

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Government teacher, Mrs. Natalie O'Brien, competed against students from area high schools to

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win the "We the People" Competition. Since September, the freshmen class had labored for

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countless hours to study the Constitution, its founding principles, and its historical and modern

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applications; and

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     WHEREAS, The competition requires that students deliver a prepared statement on a

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specific Constitutional topic and answer a series of questions asked by a panel of judges. The

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students prepare for a wide variety of potential follow-up questions, are not allowed to use any

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materials, and are not aware of the questions they will be asked until they are posed. The students

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are required to develop the important skills of critical thinking and performing under pressure;

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and

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     WHEREAS, As a result of their on February 14th victory, this class will travel to

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Washington, D.C., from April 26th through April 30th to represent Rhode Island in the National

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Finals; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

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Providence Plantations hereby extend our congratulations to honors American Government

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teacher, Mrs. Natalie O'Brien, and the following 34 freshmen students of North Smithfield High

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School: Casey Aridano, Gwen Brannigan, Riley Boucher, Melissa Cianci, Nick Degnan, Doug

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Deslauriers, Patrick Eddy, Kyle Eldridge, Eric Ethier, Cameron Furtado, Robin Hall, Jacob

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Haner, Oliver Hazard, Chris Hetu, Madison Hill, Josh Kruzan, Kim L’Etoile, Josh Labonte, Alex

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Lachance, Matthew Laferriere, Allison Lambert, Maddie LaPlante, Emily Larson, Cassandra

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Malo, Heather McClure, Caitlin Murray, Marc Parsons, Emily Pelletier, Sarah Pugliese, Zachary

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Racine, Julia Rodrigues, Rebecca Soito, Olivia Stone, and Luke Watkins, for winning the Rhode

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Island "We the People" Competition, and we wish this hard-working class the best of luck in the

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National Competition; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to honors American Government teacher Mrs.

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Natalie O’Brien and the 34 freshmen of North Smithfield High School who will represent Rhode

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Island in the National "We the People" Competition.

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LC01920

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