Now THAT'S team spirit!

ILLINOIS STUDENTS & THEIR FAN CLUBS:A REMARKABLE TEAMI'd like to add my congratulations to Lisa's to all the students who competed today and to our fantastic finalists. We cannot possibly express how proud we are of all of you. If I've ever provided feedback on your project during a coaching session, you know that I am a pretty demanding critic. I ask for your best because I see your potential. With those high expectations, you know that I am not one to give out empty praise.

But I feel compelled to tell each of you how impressed I am with Illinois' 2006 "Dream Team" of students and your extended fan clubs.Lisa and I have spent much of the past two days visiting documentaries and performances in the preliminary rounds. I have only one word for this year's participants: "Wow!" Many of the projects we saw a few weeks ago at state or the NHD Prep meeting are barely recognizable now because you have invested so much energy into your revisions. Unlike students in many other states who got out of school several weeks ago, most of you have had to make these revisions while juggling major end-of-year school projects, advanced placement or honors exams, graduations, and extracurricular activities. That hard work paid off. Whether you made finals or not, those revisions made your projects truly outstanding in many, many ways.

I've also been extraordinarily impressed by the teamwork, sportsmanship, camaraderie, and esprit de corps I've witnessed the past three days. I've been coming to NHD "since God was a baby" (as my father would say) and I've been fortunate to travel with many amazing groups of kids and their fan clubs, but I have to admit that the tremendous spirit and attitudes of the Illinois delegation over the past few days have been unparalleled. There is a saying that "we are much more together than the sum of the individual parts," and that has been the spirit of this week. Participants, teachers, and family members have all been cheering for each other – not out of a sense of competition, but in celebration of the work that has been done. You've also been looking around and drinking in the NHD experience deeply – whether that be meeting students from other states or seeking opportunities to learn from other students and their projects. Hopefully that curiosity and commitment to making the most of your NHD experience is giving you a memorable trip.This afternoon, 19 people showed up to watch Shantel Jarmon's "Reflections in a Black Mirror" in the preliminary round…only a few of those audience members were from Shantel's family. Everyone else – guests from 4 very different schools from across the city and suburbs – only met Shantel a few days ago, and yet an outside observer might have thought that you were all part of an extended family by watching your interactions. You cheered each other on as a team. It was a very moving and inspiring sight. I'm sure that even more showed up to cheer on tonight's finalists.

Finally, a note to the parents and teachers who have been supporting your students throughout this journey called History Fair. We know how long and tough the road to NHD can sometimes be. Thank you for being excellent models and supporters for your children and "adopting" other Illinois NHD participants and cheering for them just as hard as you cheer for your own children. You reflect the best of our state and clearly understand that the NHD experience is about so much more than winning a medal. Illinois' 2007 NHD delegation better watch out – they have some pretty big shoes to fill! (Hopefully we'll see some of you again next year!)