Blake Moore: “on behalf of his proud neighbors in Kansas' Third Congressional District, and particularly on behalf of the students and…”

“on behalf of his proud neighbors in Kansas' Third Congressional District, and particularly on behalf of the students and teachers at Lakewood Middle School in Overland Park, Kansas, I am honored today to speak in favor of my resolution congratulating Andrew Wojtanik for winning the 16th Annual National Geographic Bee. On May 26, 2004, Andrew won the 16th Annual National Geographic Bee when he correctly answered a question about the Khyber Pass in Northern Pakistan. While Andrew's comprehensive knowledge of geography is an inspiration to students everywhere, studies suggest that most of Andrew's peers would be unable to find Pakistan on a map, let alone be aware of the significance of the Khyber Pass. Only 13 percent of young adults in the United States between the ages of 18 and 24 can correctly identify Iraq on a map of Asia and the Middle East. Year after year, American students are consistently outperformed in geographic literacy by students in Sweden, Germany, Italy, France, Japan, Great Britain, and Canada.”