0001|                       HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 20
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0002|     43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
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0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
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0004|                             GAIL C. BEAM
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0005|     
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0006|                                   
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0007|     
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0008|     
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0009|     
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0010|                           A JOINT MEMORIAL
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0011|     REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION STUDY COMMITTEE TO STUDY
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0012|     THE FEASIBILITY AND ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF FUNDING ACADEMIC
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0013|     COMPETITION FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS.
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0014|     
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0015|          WHEREAS, the Pojoaque high school robotics team placed
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0016|     second in the world at the international B.E.A.M. robotic
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0017|     games and the Quanta international games for science and
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0018|     technology held at the City of Montessori College in Lucknow,
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0019|     India in November 1997; and
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0020|          WHEREAS, students who were labeled at risk and
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0021|     unteachable and were enrolled in a special alternative
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0022|     learning class funded by a non-funding formula grant exceeded
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0023|     these expectations and won a prestigious international
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0024|     academic award; and
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0025|          WHEREAS, the special alternative learning class helped
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0001|     the students develop their abilities rather than criticize
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0002|     their shortcomings, and the students responded by applying
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0003|     their mechanical and electronic skills to solar robotics and
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0004|     excelled by distinguishing themselves and New Mexico in an
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0005|     international competition; and
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0006|          WHEREAS, they and their parents had to struggle to raise
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0007|     the needed money to attend the international competition, and
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0008|     schoolmates and businesses contributed to raising the funds
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0009|     necessary for their attendance; and
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0010|          WHEREAS, as a result of this effort, the team members
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0011|     have made the honor roll at Pojoaque high school, and the
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0012|     experience demonstrates the value of these competitions; 
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0013|          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE
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0014|     STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the legislative education study
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0015|     committee be requested to study the feasibility and
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0016|     alternative sources of funding for academic competitions so
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0017|     that New Mexico students can participate in more prestigious
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0018|     competitions, such as the robotics event in India, and
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0019|     therefore be encouraged, as were the Pojoaque high school
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0020|     students, to excel and distinguish themselves; and
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0021|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee report its
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0022|     findings and recommendations to the legislature by December 1,
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0023|     1998; and
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0024|          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this memorial be
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0025|     transmitted to the director of the legislative education study
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0001|     committee.
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0002|                              
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