2014 -- H 8147

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LC005558

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING THE 32 FRESHMEN AT NORTH SMITHFIELD HIGH SCHOOL

WHO WON THE RHODE ISLAND "WE THE PEOPLE" COMPETITION

     Introduced By: Representative Brian C.Newberry

     Date Introduced: May 06, 2014

     Referred To: House read and passed

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

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

row; and

     WHEREAS, On February 8, 2014, at West Warwick High School, a group of 32

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

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

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

to study the Constitution, its founding principles, and its historical and modern applications; and

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

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

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

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

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

and

     WHEREAS, As a result of their February 8th victory, the class traveled to Washington,

D.C., from April 4th through April 8th to represent Rhode Island in the National Finals; and

     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;

now, therefore be it

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

Providence Plantations hereby extends our congratulations to the honors program American

Government teacher, Mrs. Natalie O'Brien, and the following 32 freshmen students from North

Smithfield High School: Matthew Annunziata, Alex Bourque, MacKenzie Chartier, Lauren

Cloutier, Amanda Connell, Kevin Crowshaw, John DerBedrosian, Jacob DiSpirito, Jacob Forbes,

Michaela Gamache, Nicolas Hanoian, Alexander Helm, Rebecca Holliday, Faith Jacobson,

Kristin Lafferty, Erica Lemieux, Cullen MacDonald, Jacob Malo, Matthew Mandeville,

Tommaso Marsella, Christopher Matulaitis, Rachel Palazini, Abigail Palmer, Benjamin Palmer,

Nolan Parent, Gennaro Pasquariello, Jennifer Pasquariello, Morgan Perry, Kyle Peterson, Brooke

Schobel, Andrew Stevens and Miranda Zuba for winning the Rhode Island "We the People"

Competition; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this House hereby congratulates this hard-working class on winning

three unit awards and earning second place at the National Invitational; and be it further

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

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

Natalie O’Brien and the 32 freshmen of North Smithfield High School who represented Rhode

Island in the National "We the People" Competition.

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