s are prize winner sophomores from montgomery blair high school in silver spring maryland. they want congress to take action against water pollution. >> water is the most vital substance to a human body. it is because of us humans are unsuitable for use to to pollution. in the u.s., we have learned to take water for granted. flusht, bottled water and toilets reinforce the same idea. water is an unlimited resource. diminishing and the condition totally different story. water pollution kills marine and, destroys ecosystems, disrupts a fragile food chain. the muslim not the only ones that suffer the negative effects animals are not the only ones that suffer the negative effects. towe are getting children roll up the floors. if we cannot protect the rivers and bays. >> it is time to take charge of the situation. it will protect one of our most vital resources. >> one of the most polluted rivers. it was once full of life and ecological diversity, a symbol of prosperity in the d c area. it is now known as the "forgotten river." the entirety of the eight miles is polluted beyond r

second prize-winning sophomores fromanna and paul are montgomery blair high school in silver spring, maryland. they believe congress should make filibuster reform their most important issue. >> many of us recognize the iconic image of a talking filibuster. one senator standing up and talking what he or she believes in for as long as they can stand. >> i will speak until i can no longer speak. >> i am not going to leave this body until i do get them, sir. >> many people don't know there have been hundreds and hundreds of filibusters in the past few years alone. there is an invisible filibuster that has bought the senate to complete halt requiring every bill to have 60 votes to pass. this is the silent filibuster. >> 60 votes to get him confirmed. >> the necessary 60 votes. >> in 2014, congress must enact serious filibuster reform in order to return the senate to its democratic roots. before talking about the filibuster today, we have to look into the senate's past. the filibuster was born in 1806. former u.s. vice-president aaron burr gave a speech in front of the senate. >> it came a

the first prizewinners -- from montgomery blair high school in silver spring, maryland. they want congress to take action against water pollution in the nations waterways. water, it makes up 75% of our bodies. take water away and humanity would perish within one week. water is the most vital substance to the human body, yet it is because of us humans that nearly 50% of all streams, lakes, bays and estuaries are unsuitable for use due to pollution. u.s. we have learned to take water for granted. toiletswater and flush -- use the same idea. water is an unlimited resource. but step outside and the diminishing conditions tell the difference story. -- tell a different story. water pollution destroys marine life and disrupts an already fragile food chain, and animals are not the only ones that suffer the negative effects of water pollution. >> without clean water and clean air, we cannot live. childrenre we giving to grow and flourish if we cannot protect the rivers and the bays they swim in? it is sunday cap -- to take action. you can protect the waterways of the u.s. and pro

my name is anna barth and i go to montgomery blair high school. a rapidlying is growing incredibly diverse city in the washington, d.c. metro-area. it is a great school and one of my favorite things about it is the diversity. i see all kinds of people walking down the halls. there is a subtle this balance. something you cannot see just by looking at her students. -- at our students. why are students from high income and middle class families statistically outperforming low income students at every subject? this is only a snapshot of the problem that sweeps across the entire nation. the economic achievement gap. >> for the most part, it is the gap in educational performance based on different groups of students linked to their social economic status. >> the gaps presidents is economical -- undeniable. fourth graders are typically three years behind their higher income counterparts. why? low-income income students test lower and drop out more often? >> this is a long-standing debate. it is one of those issues where the answer is probably -- >> being

first prize winners -- are sophomores from montgomery blair high school in silver spring maryland. they want congress to take action against water pollution in our nation's waterways. ♪ >> water. it makes up 75% of our bodies. ay, and humanity would perish within a week. water is the most vital substance to a human body, yet it is because of us humans that 50% of all streams, lakes, bays and estuaries are unsuitable due to pollution. in the u.s. we have learned to take water for granted. toilets, and flush reinforce the same idea -- water is an unlimited resource. but step outside to our local and their diminishing condition tells a different story. water pollution kills marine life, destroys ecosystems, and disrupts an already fragile food chain. and animals are not the only ones that suffer the negative effects of water pollution. >> clean water and clean air. we cannot live without it. >> what chance are we giving children to grow up and florist that we cannot protect the rivers and bays they swim in? to takeess, it is time charge of the situation. you have the power to take act

second prize-winning sophomores, max foley-keene, anna o'driscoll, and paul bass are from montgomery blair high school in silver spring, maryland. they believe congress should make filibuster reform their ost important issue. >> many of us recognize the iconic image of the talking filibuster. one senator standing up and talking about what he or she believes in for as long as they can stand. >> i will speak until i can no longer speak. >> i am not going to leave this body until i do get them, sir. >> many people don't know there have been hundreds and hundreds of filibusters in the past few years alone. there is an invisible filibuster that has bought the senate to complete halt requiring every bill to have 60 votes to pass. this is the silent filibuster. >> 60 votes to get him confirmed. >> the necessary 60 votes. >> in 2014, congress must enact serious filibuster reform in order to return the senate to ts democratic roots. before talking about the filibuster today, we have to look into the senate's past. the filibuster was born in 1806. former u.s. vice-president aaron burr gave a speech

. >> hi, i go to montgomery blair high school in silver spring, maryland.silver spring is a rapidly growing come incredibly diversity in the washington, d.c. metro area. blair is a great school and one of my favorite things is a diversity among our 2800 students. i see all kinds of evil walking down the halls. peoplee all kinds of walking down the halls. there is something you cannot see by looking at her students. the one glance at our test scores is something that is off. why are students from high income and middle class families consistently outperforming low income students in every subject? this is only a snapshot of a problem that reaches across the nation. the economic achievement gap. >> for the most part, it's the gap in education performance and outcomes based on different groups of students which often lead to your social economic status. >> the presence is undeniable. low income fourth-graders are, on average, three years behind their middle and high income counterparts. by 12 great, they fall into an average of four years behind. why? why do l

sophomores,-winning max foley-keene, anna o'driscoll, and paul bass are from montgomery blair high school in silver spring, maryland. they believe congress should make filibusters reform their most important issue. >> and many of us recognize the iconic visual of a filibuster. i will speak until i can no longer speak. >> i am not going to leave this body until -- >> many people don't know there have been hundreds of filibusters in the past few years alone. there is an invisible filibuster that is bought congress to complete halt. this is the silent filibuster. him0 votes to get confirmed. >> the necessary 60 votes. must returncongress the senate to democratic roots. before talking about the filibuster today, we have to look into the senate passed. the filibuster was born in 1806. aaron burr gave a speech in front of the senate. >> it came about quite accidentally because of the role change that was came about by the aaron burr. >> he told the senators they should remove the previous question motion. it would quite simply, if passed after having, removed the previous motion question, senat

first prize winners -- are sophomores from montgomery blair high school in silver spring maryland. they want congress to take action against water pollution in our nation's waterways. ♪ >> water. it makes up 75% of our bodies. ay, and humanity would perish within a week. water is the most vital substance to a h b