WHEREAS, the progress, prosperity, and tranquility of all states and nations depends upon the successful education of their citizens and upon the wise and informed leadership those citizens can then provide; and

WHEREAS, promoting and rewarding intellectual distinction among our young people ranks as a prime concern of our State; and

WHEREAS, students from Delaware public high schools have been identified for their distinguished academic achievement and for their leadership in statewide organizations; and

WHEREAS, their accomplishments reflect with great favor upon the skilled work of Delaware educators and upon the generous support these students have received from their relatives, friends, and neighbors; and

WHEREAS, the people of Delaware take pride in the accomplishments of these students, whose discipline, maturity, and diligence have enabled them to make full use of their native gifts; and

WHEREAS, such public recognition will encourage all students to strive to develop fully and ensure the prosperity of the state as well as the personal enrichment of their lives;

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the 144^th General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring, commends and extends its best wishes for continued success to those students chosen as Secretary of Education Scholars of 2008, namely:

• Appoquinimink School District: Cera Babb, Yasmin Ogale, Danielle Paltrineri and Ashley Suszczynski, Middletown High School;

• Brandywine School District: James Kersch and Maciej Klosowski, Brandywine High School; Kenny Brown and Leo Ghanekar, Concord High School; and Michelle Dee and Cedrick Yancey, Mount Pleasant High School;

• Caesar Rodney School District: Meghan Elliott, Robert Hall and Kylie Paige, Caesar Rodney High School;

• Cape Henlopen School District: Bruce Aldred and Kristen Mintzer, Cape Henlopen High School;

• Capital School District: Nathan Adamson, Erin Harvath and Kana Panchmatia, Dover High School;

• Christina School District: Shazia Ahmed and Ashley Kempczynski, Christiana High School; Alexandra Cummings and Katherine Kleinot, Glasgow High School; Florina Bacuta, Michelle Lepori-Bui and Elizabeth Smith, Newark High School;

• Colonial School District: Gene Brodie Emory, Nicole Hanby, Michael Kilbride and Kimberly Lopez, William Penn High School;

• Delmar School District: Joshua Vincent, Delmar Middle & Senior High School;

• Indian River School District: Abigail Buchler and Cori McCowan, Indian River High School; Grace Belkot and Paige Eskridge, Sussex Central High School;

• Lake Forest School District: Derrick Kelley and Jenna MacKenzie, Lake Forest High School;

• Laurel School District: David Bartee, Laurel High School;

• Milford School District: Garrett Jenkins and Nathanial Parsley, Milford High School;

• New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District: Cristina Cafini, Edward Humbertson, Jr. and John Lehman, Delcastle Technical High School; Jason Agostinelli and Allison Moye, Hodgson Vocational Technical High School; Terrence Potter and Vincent Saienni, Howard High School of Technology;

• POLYTECH School District: Benjamin Byler and Hannah VanSant, POLYTECH High School;

• Red Clay Consolidated School District: Rachel Cox and Elisa Gill, Cab Calloway School of the Arts; Tabitha Filer-Epps and Pamela Oppenheimer, John Dickinson High School; Keaton Davis, Nathan Tyler Estock and Ryan Nimtz, Alexis I. duPont High School; Patrick Delaney and Erica Marshall, Thomas McKean High School;

• Seaford School District: Brenna James and Trevor Lee, Seaford High School;

• Smyrna School District: Alicia McDaniels and Leila Sammander, Smyrna High School;

• Sussex Technical School District: Kristen Conner and Christopher Mitchell, Sussex Technical High School

• Woodbridge School District: Alyssa Bailey, Woodbridge High School;

• Jennifer Lloyd, Campus Community Charter School;

• Anastasia Niedzielski and Rajarajan Vel, Charter School of Wilmington;

• William Rogers, Jr., Delaware Military Academy

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent to the Secretary of Education for distribution to the students chosen for this special honor.