Joint Senate Resolution
By Senators Spaulding, Doyle and Ide,
J.R.S. 65. Joint resolution congratulating the St. Johnsbury Academy team on winning the 1999 Northeast Regional Championship of “We the People . . . The Citizen and the Constitution”.
Whereas, the St. Johnsbury Academy team, representing the entire State of Vermont, on May 3, 1999 won the 1999 Northeast Regional Championship at the National Finals of the “We the People . . . The Citizen and the Constitution” competition in Washington, D.C., and
Whereas, “We the People . . . The Citizen and the Constitution” is a national Constitutional law competition in which state championship teams from all 50 states and District of Columbia engage in vigorous debate and discussions about the history and principles of the United States Constitution, and
Whereas, the St. Johnsbury Academy team won the right to represent the State of Vermont by first winning the 1999 Vermont State Championship at the state finals competition held in February at the State House in Montpelier, and
Whereas, the “We the People” National Finals Competition requires each team to divide into six separate units, each of which presents two complete discussions of particular areas of Constitutional law, for a total of 12 separate presentations made over two days to a total of 36 distinguished judges from around the United States, and
Whereas, in winning the 1999 Northeast Regional Championship in Washington, D.C., the St. Johnsbury Academy team achieved the highest overall cumulative score over the two-day competition among the states of the Northeast and thereby defeated the state champion teams from Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, and
Whereas, St. Johnsbury Academy was a first-time participant in “We the People” at both the state and national levels, and
Whereas, the victory of the St. Johnsbury team demonstrates an extraordinary combination of intelligence, hard work, thorough knowledge of Constitutional history and principles, outstanding research skills, superb oral advocacy, individual determination, expert teamwork and the highest civic virtue among all the members of the team, who are Nathan Aurich, Mariah Brooks, Chris Clayton, Amanda Conant, Aimee Ellingwood, Berrian Eno-Van Fleet, Michael Foster, Nathaniel Gleicher, Amy Goff, Katy Goodrich, Nate Hausman, Annie Kidder, Abigail Schoppe, Laura Tilghman and Heidi Wheeler, and
Whereas, recognition of the St. Johnsbury Academy “We the People” team would not be complete without acknowledging the leadership and guidance of teacher and Coach Dan Dagenais, now therefore be it
RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
That the General Assembly congratulates the St. Johnsbury Academy team and its coach, Dan Dagenais, on winning the 1999 Northeast Regional Championship of the “We the People . . . The Citizen and the Constitution” competition, and be it further
Resolved: That the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this resolution to Bernier L. Mayo, Headmaster of St. Johnsbury Academy.