2016 -- H 8252

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LC006074

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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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 2016 STATEWIDE COMPETITION

     Introduced By: Representatives Newberry, Phillips, Morin, Casey, and Winfield

     Date Introduced: May 25, 2016

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, On February 6th of 2016, twenty-two students from North Smithfield High

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

Studies Department chair, Mrs. Natalie O'Brien, won the "We the People" statewide competition;

and

     WHEREAS, As a result of taking the state title, the team earned the honor of representing

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

Competition" held on April 23rd and 24th in Washington, D.C.; and

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

sponsored by the Center for Civic Education and is an annual 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, For the competition, members of the North Smithfield teams delivered

prepared statements on a specific Constitutional topic and answered a series of questions asked by

an esteemed panel of judges. Prior to the competition, the teams prepared for a wide variety of

potential follow-up questions, as they were not allowed to use any materials during the

competition, and were not forewarned of what questions would be posed until they were asked.

The format of the competition requires students to develop the important skills of critical thinking

and performing under pressure; and

     WHEREAS, This year's North Smithfield team units were tremendously successful in

Washington, placing 27th out of the 54 best classes competing throughout the nation. In addition,

the school's Unit 6 Team finished 15th in the entire nation, earning a higher score than any

previously competing Rhode Island team; 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 2016 Rhode Island

"We the People" Competition to the team's coach, Mrs. Natalie O'Brien, and the following

twenty-two students from North Smithfield High School: Jarrod Dube, Matthew Hetu, and Kailey

Savaria from Unit 1; Riley Crozier, Colby Girard, Jon Pelletier, and Kaitlyn Walsh from Unit 2;

Tim Duffy, Emma Grant, Liz Jordan, Adam Silvestri, and Vanessa Szulc from Unit 3; Jarrod Hill,

Elizabeth Jalette, and Eric Pugliese from Unit 4; Courtney Deslauriers, Morgan Kruzan, and

Chris Marsella from Unit 5; and Stuart Cenedella, George Malian, Rita Marcotte, and Aidan

Richer from Unit 6. We moreover wish all the team members much success in all their future

endeavors; 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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