[applause] katie o'malley and the men and women of the maryland general assembly, there is more that unites us than divides us. this year, one of those things is the mighty, mighty baltimore ravens. [cheers and applause] my goodness. also bipartisan agreement. look, all of us are familiar with the ravens story, but their are also a number of remarkable people who are with us. i want to share a few of their stories with all of you. first, one of our nation's leading minds and most prominent advocates of science, technology, and engineering, math and education, some of you know them as a member of the school state board. later this week president obama will be awarding him the national medal of science for his achievement in physics. dr. james gates. [applause] two years ago, and that just two years ago, this woman has turned around a workplace into a full-time job. please welcome janice in caroline county and melissa jones harris. [applause] within the heart of every individual is a spirit and a dignity that yearns to be recognized. 12 months ago outside, the officially recognized for