[jhaugen]

Team 842 met with Amadou when he attended the Championships. Believe me when I say that he isn't alone.
Below I've attached a copy of my request for our US Representatives and Senators to support the DREAM Act. Understand that I could have easily substitutedthe word "our" many times throughout the letter and replaced it with "our country's" which would encompass a national perspective.

"I am writing this in order to ask for your support for the upcoming DREAM Act.

I am the school’s Special Education Facilitator and a mentor/coach for our award winning robotics team at Carl Hayden Community High School in Phoenix. In these capacities I get to work daily with the lowest functioning students as well as some of the most gifted students on campus. Passage of the DREAM Act will help students in both of these areas.

The DREAM Act will help make it possible for some of our country's lowest level/functioning students to reach their highest potential. Currently they are not eligible for continuance of services beyond high school. Due to their developmental disabilities, many of the students need additional services in order to become active productive members of society. They currently miss out on services that would continue their training to a point where they can be gainfully employed, live in an assisted living area, and pay for many of the services they receive, as well as pay taxes for other services.

Passage of the DREAM Act will additionally help many of our country's brightest students reach their goals and aspirations. We have students who are valedictorians, salutatorians, future engineers, doctors, biologists, business leaders, chefs, computer specialists, game designers, math and science teachers, and any other of a multitude of careers who might not be able to fulfill these dreams without the passage of the DREAM Act. The United States already has a vested interest in many of these students.

Many of our country's undocumented students have lived in the United States since they were very young. They were brought here without being asked. The United States of America has become—and is—their homeland. They are Americans! They want to fulfill their dreams just like other American children want to fulfill theirs. Their parents want the same for their children as we want for ours—to have a better life than we have. I’m not really sure what the average cost is to educate students from K-12, but have heard that it is close to $100,000. If that’s true we have already invested a great deal of money, time, and effort in educating these hidden children. I think it is a waste to throw them away. Passage of the DREAM Act will help the United States of America make money through this investment.

By allowing an avenue to become United States citizens many of our students will be able to reach their dreams and the country will reap the benefits. We will have another source of highly motivated career-minded people who are yearning to fill much needed areas: military members, engineers, doctors, school teachers and other fields that the US currently needs. We have the resources here in our country now -- students who have been educated in the US. With this resource in place we could slow-down the recruitment sources like India, Philippines, Korea, etc and continue investing in the country’s future. These students are a good investment, let’s bankroll our investments, spend a little more, and let them pay the country back.

Passage of the DREAM Act will help all levels of students, from the lower functioning developmentally disabled to the most gifted and talented young men and women. These individuals are Americans who only know the United States as their home. They’ve been educated in and by the US system; many excelling. They identify themselves as Americans, want to succeed as Americans, and are willing to do what ever it takes to fulfill their dreams as Americans. We have additionally invested time, money, and sweat in educating and mentoring these students. Why waste this investment when we can benefit from their future as United States citizens?

I urge you to invest in our future; our country’s future; our students’ future; by supporting the DREAM Act.

Sincerely,

James H. Haugen
Major, USAF, Retired
Disabled Vet
SPED Facilitator, Carl Hayden Community High School
Mentor, Falcon Robotics, Team 842"