WHEREAS, The students of Tahoma High School who are enrolled in the program known as "We The People: The Citizen and Constitution" have exhibited exceptional knowledge of the Constitution of the United States and the lessons taught by our forefathers; and
     WHEREAS, On Saturday, January 11, 2013, the state We The People competition was won by the team from Tahoma High School, making it the school's eighteenth state championship; and
     WHEREAS, From April 26 to 29, 2013, these students will represent their state at the twenty-sixth anniversary We The People National Finals in Washington, D.C., where they will aspire to uphold the standards of excellence for which Tahoma High School is known; and
     WHEREAS, These students have immersed themselves in the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights, and their extraordinary understanding of the country's founding documents and principles and formidable debate skills have inspired those who have watched them progress to the level of state champions; and
     WHEREAS, The Tahoma team is coached by Gretchen Wulfing, who was named Washington's Civic Educator of the Year in 2011 and who continues to impress upon her students the importance of learning about American constitutional democracy and the contemporary relevance of the nation's founding documents and principles; and
     WHEREAS, These students and their advisor were aided by countless hours of help from We The People alumni, former students who helped prepare this year's debaters by volunteering as guest judges; and
     WHEREAS, Since the creation of We The People in 1987, nearly thirty million students and ninety thousand teachers from across the country have participated in enhancing civic education; and
     WHEREAS, Studies have shown that eighty percent of high school seniors in this program are registered to vote, compared to an average of thirty-seven percent among other high school seniors, proof that We The People promotes a greater interest in participating in government; and
     WHEREAS, Tahoma High School has a distinguished record in competitions at the national level, having placed fourth in the nation in 2000, capturing the Western Regional Award in 2002 and 2008, taking the top Unit Two in the Nation Award in 2003, and placing in the top ten in 2012;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate honor these "warriors of the Constitution": Noah Adam, Christina Adamson, Alissa Bates, Joel Christensen, Rachelle Frets, Jessica Glassner, Mitchell Halbert, Tabitha Kim, Timothy Lamb, Molly Lathrop, Trenton Lawrence, Nicole Lindblom, Dessa Meehan, Matthew Milburn, Dakota-Storm Nichols, Erika Nist, Sorina Pitts, Angela Rocchi, Niribili Sarmah, Jacob Seely, Miranda Smith, Carter Stoddard, Ashley Taylor, Kendall von Michalofski, William Wheeler, Taylor White, and Bridget Wulfing; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the members of Tahoma High School's We The People team, team advisor Gretchen Wulfing, and the principal of Tahoma High School, Terry Duty, to convey the respect of this body for a job well done and to wish them success in their endeavors.