2015 -- H 6028

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LC001943

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING THE NORTH SMITHFIELD "WE THE PEOPLE" STUDENTS ON

WINNING THE 2015 STATEWIDE COMPETITION

     Introduced By: Representatives Newberry, Casey, Kennedy, O`Grady, and Malik

     Date Introduced: April 02, 2015

     Referred To: House read and passed

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

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

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

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

     WHEREAS, On February 7th of 2015, thirty-one students from North Smithfield High

School, under the expert guidance of their American Government honors class teacher and the

Social Studies Department chair, Mrs. Natalie O'Brien, competed against students from high

schools across the state and won the "We the People" competition. It is the ninth year in a row

that students representing North Smithfield High School have won the state competition; and

     WHEREAS, Since the beginning of the school year in September, student team members

have been arduously studying the Constitution, its founding principles, and its historic and

modern application; and

     WHEREAS, For the competition, the team must deliver a prepared statement on a

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

the competition, the team prepares for a wide variety of potential follow-up questions, as they are

not allowed to use any materials during the competition, and are not forewarned of the questions

that will be posed until they are asked. The format of the competition requires students to develop

the important skills of critical thinking and performing under pressure; and

     WHEREAS, As a result of their state victory on February 7th, the team will be

representing Rhode Island in the National Finals of the "We the People: The Citizen and the

Constitution Competition" on April 25th and 26th in Washington, D.C.; now, therefore be it

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

Providence Plantations hereby extends our congratulations for winning the Rhode Island "We the

People" Competition to American Government honors class teacher, Mrs. Natalie O'Brien, and

the following 31 students from North Smithfield High School: MaKenzie Anderson, Quintyn

Anderson, Abigayle Beauchemin, Adam Blakemore, Emily Cabral, Lauren Cenedella, Jessica

Daltorio, Ryan Deslauriers, Sarah Deslauriers, Dante Driscoll, Katelyn Dubois, Jacqueline Eddy,

Rachel Ferland, Rachel Finn, Sara Gendron, Kaylee Goyette, Madeline Hanlon, Jillian Hoppe,

Alyana Kozlik, Alexis LaBelle, Jacob Labonte, Cassandra Laferriere, Nathan Lemoine, Rebecca

Majeau, Ashley Marchand, Lucas Mariotti, Connor McMullin, Adem Meksavanh, Alexander

Thurley, Vanessa Venkataraman, and Elizabeth Votta. We moreover wish them the best of luck at

the National Finals; and be it further

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

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mrs. Natalie O'Brien.

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