In This Section...

	Sen. Bond [R-MO]: Mr. President, I rise to recognize June 15, 2005 as National History Day. The National History Day Program is an annual celebration to recognize the importance of a...
	Sen. Lieberman [D-CT]: Mr. President, I rise to take note of the 25th annual National History Day and express my strong support for the goals of the National History Day program. A basic...
	Sen. Dole [R-NC]: Mr. President, I am delighted to come to the floor today to congratulate Nathan Przestrzelski of Swannanoa, NC and Stephen Gordon of Fletcher, NC on being selected to...
	Sen. DeWine [R-OH]: Mr. President, the importance of learning and appreciating history cannot be understated. Men and women--young and old--benefit from learning about the past as a way...
	Sen. Hagel [R-NE]: Mr. President, I rise to congratulate Michael Walsh of Omaha, NE, an outstanding student and young history scholar whose National History Day project has been chosen...

Record Text

Sen. Christopher Bond [R-MO]: Mr. President, I rise to recognize June 15, 2005 as National History Day. The National History Day Program is an annual celebration to recognize the importance of a strong history curriculum in schools in Missouri and across the country. This celebration is also a showcase for students across the Nation to present their knowledge and interest in particular events in history through performances, documentaries, and exhibits.

This year, Missouri has 5 exemplary students selected from a group 2,000 finalists to perform and present their projects at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Kate LaRose, a student at Jefferson Junior High School in Columbia, MO, was recognized for her project "Martha Graham: The Power of Communication through Dance." Robert Adams, Raeed Chowdhury, Rui Du, and Yun-Han Huang, all students at Rolla High School in Rolla, MO, were also recognized for their exhibit titled "Controversial Art: Thomas Hart Benton's Communication Tool."

I congratulate Katie, Robert, Raeed, Rui, and Yun-Hun for this honor and commended them for their dedication, commitment, and hard work.

Sen. Joseph Lieberman [D-CT]: Mr. President, I rise to take note of the 25th annual National History Day and express my strong support for the goals of the National History Day program. A basic knowledge of history is essential for our Nation's children to become informed participants in our democracy. National History Day promotes history education in Connecticut and throughout the Nation.

The National History Day Program encourages students to think critically and create dramatic performances, exhibits, documentaries, and research papers by exploring a variety of resources beyond classroom textbooks. Students in grades 6-12 engage in this challenging year-long program in order to gain a better understanding of the importance of studying history. I believe that a fundamental understanding of history is imperative in order to appreciate the present world situation. Fifty students from Connecticut have demonstrated their proficiency in the subject area by having been selected as National History Day finalists from our State.

As a Senator from the State of Connecticut, I am pleased to congratulate the students from Connecticut who have been selected to represent our State at this year's National History Day competition. It also gives me great pleasure to pay special tribute to Sadie Hartell and Elizabeth Kelly. Sadie Hartell and Elizabeth Kelly, both students at Hall Memorial School in Willington, CT, were among the 19 students chosen out of more than half a million across America to display and present their history projects at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Sadie's project is titled "The Beatles: Communicating to their Generation." Elizabeth's project is titled "The Second American Revolution: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and her Fight."

I applaud all 50 delegates from the State of Connecticut for having been selected to represent our State as finalists in the National History Day competition and commend these students for their diligence and creativity. I join with the citizens of the State of Connecticut in wishing them well in all their future endeavors.

Sen. Elizabeth Dole [R-NC]: Mr. President, I am delighted to come to the floor today to congratulate Nathan Przestrzelski of Swannanoa, NC and Stephen Gordon of Fletcher, NC on being selected to present their award-winning history projects at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in celebration of National History Day.

For 25 years the National History Day Program has brought history to life for students across our country. By combining creativity with scholarship, students are finding a new appreciation for the past while developing valuable skills in writing and analytical reasoning. Most importantly, this program focuses on inspiring each child to reach his or her full potential, and in doing so provides a great service by increasing their confidence and ability to succeed.

This year the National History Day Program asked students to present projects on the theme "Communication in History: the Key to Understanding." Students were asked to explore the role communication plays in history and its significance in helping shape how historical changes have been understood.

Let me share with you the two wonderful projects Nathan and Stephen presented.

Nathan presented his exhibit entitled, "The History of Spring Training: Communication is the Key to Understanding the Merger of Athletic Preparation with Market Magic." His project explores how baseball's spring training has grown from traditionally being a means for athletic preparation to today becoming a multi-million dollar industry expressed through business marketing. Nathan was able to incorporate his love of sports, his interest in business, and his appreciation of history to better understand how this tradition evolved over time.

Stephen also presented his project, a documentary entitled, "Telling Tales: The Appalachian Oral Tradition." His work depicts how the people of Appalachia have communicated ideas, history, heritage, and values through the use of nothing more than oral tradition. Stephen was able to trace stories from the mountains of North Carolina back over hundreds of years and show how fundamental concepts were passed from generation to generation.

Through their hard work and dedication, these young historians show that discovering, understanding, and interpreting history is not only important, but exciting.

Today is a proud day for Nathan, Stephen, and their families. We are proud of these student's hard work, dedication, and tremendous achievements. I believe passionately that education is the foundation for success, and I am encouraged to see students so active in the learning process. I hope Nathan and Stephen have enjoyed this experience and I wish them continued success in the years ahead.

Sen. Michael DeWine [R-OH]: Mr. President, the importance of learning and appreciating history cannot be understated. Men and women--young and old--benefit from learning about the past as a way to shape the future. Today, the National History Day Program is honoring students from around our Nation who have displayed excellence in the study of history, and I am pleased to recognize five students from my home State of Ohio who are participating in this important program.

The National History Day Program actually originated in Ohio at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. The National History Day Program allows students to create exhibits, documentaries, and performances by using their critical thinking and research skills in the subject of history. This year is a special year, as the National History Day organization is celebrating its 25th Anniversary of training students and teachers to incorporate libraries, museums, and archives into their learning plans.

I would like to take a moment to recognize the Ohioans who are participating this year. Megan Daines, a student at Hannan Trace Elementary in Crown City, OH, presented her project, titled "The Underground Railroad: Communication between Two Worlds," at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Holly Anderson, a student at Canton County Day School in Massillon, OH, was one of 19 students chosen from over 2,000 finalists to perform her original work, "All of a Flutter: The Secret Language of the Fan," in the Grand Salon in the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Ian Shaw of Sylvania, Michael Kreuz of Swanton, and Ben Spang of Toledo are three Ohio home-schooled students, who have been selected to present their project at the National Museum of Health and Medicine. Ian, Michael, and Ben joined Isaac Skaggs of Michigan to complete a documentary titled, "A Voice in the Darkness: Dr. Jonathan Mann, Uniting the World Against AIDS."

I congratulate all of these students for their presentations and performances. Their dedication to the pursuit of excellence in the study of history sets a great example for our Nation's youth. I join all Ohioans in wishing them all the best in their future endeavors.

Sen. Charles Hagel [R-NE]: Mr. President, I rise to congratulate Michael Walsh of Omaha, NE, an outstanding student and young history scholar whose National History Day project has been chosen out of half a million in America to be presented today at the White House Visitor Center. Michael's documentary, "Let the Word Go Forth: JFK's New Frontier," highlights President Kennedy's unique ability to communicate effectively with both Americans and leaders throughout the world, especially during the Cuban missile crisis, a critical time in America's history. His project shows that young Americans can take important historical events and share them with us in an interesting and educational way. Michael is a student at Lewis and Clark Middle School in Omaha.

National History Day is a unique approach to teaching and learning history in our Nation's classrooms. It allows students to create exhibits, documentaries and performances by using their critical thinking and research skills in the subject of history. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the National History Day organization.

All of Nebraska is proud of Michael's commitment to scholarship. This young Nebraskan understands that history shapes our future and influences the world we live in today. I ask my colleagues to join me and all Americans in honoring Michael Walsh and all students who participated in National History Day.